Love Worth Fighting For
by Indigo Siren
Summary: Jin x Miharu. 2 years after 'Not the Admirer'. Along comes the Iron Fist Tournament 4 and Miharu decides to enter to find Jin and uncover the reasons for him disappearing. Updated to include second epilogue leading on to 'Hearts Everlasting'.
1. Prologue

Love Worth Fighting For  
  
By Indigo Siren  
  
Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.  
  
A/N: This is the sequel to 'Not the Admirer'. I hope this lives up to the first story. Please R&R. Flames will be ignored, as there is no point in them. If you don't like a story, just don't review it. Thanks!  
  
Prologue  
  
The King of Iron Fist Tournament 3 ended after a long and vicious battle between the entity known as Toshin, in the form of True Ogre and the brave young fighter, Jin Kazama.   
  
Finally getting revenge for the murder of his mother, Jin stood tall over the defeated monster, as the souls of the lost fighters were freed into the heavens, and the creature disappeared from the living world.  
  
But after that, nothing was heard from Jin. He just seemed to vanish from the face of the Earth. Nobody knew what truly happened to him…  
  
… All but Heihachi Mishima. His selfish greed and deceitful temperament lead him to strike down his grandson with a gunshot to the head, unknown to the world.  
  
Heihachi had been using him all along.  
  
But of course, something arose from the spirit of the young Kazama, something not of this world. And this inhuman force took control.   
  
Though Heihachi had fired a fatal shot, it was obvious it was going to take more than that to destroy what had become of Jin Kazama.  
  
After sending his grandfather through the temple wall, he disappeared into the night, flying with raven-feathered wings. He wasn't seen again after that…  
  
Two years have passed since then, and the world carried on, as it should, with little thought and action to do with Jin Kazama, after the search was abruptly called off shortly after his disappearance.  
  
Heihachi told the world that it was most likely his grandson would never be found, and everyone was left wondering whether he was alive or not. He had started out acting completely worried and grief stricken, but suddenly, his tune changed. But no questions were ever asked.  
  
Though things never truly settled for the elder Mishima. Within the two years, Heihachi had to face more a part of his past that he had wished to have stayed long dead.   
  
And that involved his son… not as dead as he thought.  
  
Kazuya Mishima, now risen from the mouth of the volcano, and ready to go up against his father once more.  
  
Heihachi had plans of obtaining the allusive 'Devil Gene' to finally give himself the power that he thought he well and truly deserved. Thus ensued the raid on G-Corporation and the encounter with his son, through camera equipment planted on his Tekkenshu.  
  
He realised his son was a force to be reckoned with. Heihachi knew it would be hard to obtain what he desired with his son fighting back with full force. But of course, he had a plan, and was ready to dispatch it on the world…  
  
***  
  
A man stood in the shadows, looking out over a city from a building top dojo. His back rested to a wooden pillar and a hood was pulled firmly over his head.  
  
He had been in training for what seemed like so long, his whole being consumed with revenge against the one that lured him into a ring of deception. He felt disgraced by his lineage, and turned to a new light, hoping to one day, take his revenge.  
  
The sun was setting over the city and the room was beginning to slowly fill was a prominent darkness that clung over him like a protective blanket, in which he basked.  
  
He was ready. His heart was burning for the heat of the inevitable fight to come, which would decide who would live and who would die. It would be a battle to the death, where only the strongest survived.  
  
"The time has come," the hooded man whispered into the lonely shadows. "I know what he truly plans, and I will face him, for I am not afraid of death. I will fight to destroy my kindred that is cursed with dirty blood…"  
  
He looked into the near dusk sky. Other than being ready to go out for his revenge, he knew he had someone else to see. Someone he had broken a promise to. He had to see them again, for his heart yearned for what he had missed for so long…  
  
… That of love. 


	2. Chapter 1

Love Worth Fighting For  
  
By Indigo Siren  
  
Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
The bell called for the end of the day at the Mishima High School. Flocks of socially deprived and tired students disbanded from the school gates, glad to be free of the confines of the school.  
  
"That has got to have been one of the most boring school days ever!"  
  
Miharu Hirano stepped out into the sun with a smile and turned around to the rather moody Ling Xiaoyu, who swung her book bag back and forth idly.  
  
"Oh come on, it wasn't really that bad," Miharu said, shaking her head. She stopped to wait for their other friends to catch up to them.  
  
Mika Hamono, Yumi Kougi and Rubi Akoguroi stepped out behind Miharu and Xiaoyu, just escaping from another lesson to them. They waved as they joined them.  
  
"Not complaining again, are you, Xiaoyu?" Yumi asked, finding it difficult to carry her gym bag, back pack and flute case, switching the three between her hands.  
  
"How can I not, it feels like I'm wasting my time," Xiaoyu grumbled. "Doing the same thing over and over again. I'm bored with this everyday routine."  
  
"Well, that's life isn't it," Miharu told her friend, running a hand through her soft auburn hair.  
  
"Yeah, well, I wish it'd be more exciting." Xiaoyu kicked up a stone as the group walked towards the bike racks.  
  
"Nope, no more excitement for me," Miharu declared, leaning her back to the wall as she watched Yumi, Mika and Rubi unlock their bikes.  
  
"I don't mind a little excitement once in a while," Rubi said, putting her bag on one of the handlebars. "But too much is not good for a person."  
  
"Oh, can you get ill from being over excited?" Mika asked in a teasing voice.  
  
Rubi just chuckled. "I'll get back to you on that one."  
  
Xiaoyu rolled her eyes and sighed. "And it's not good to be bored stiff most days."  
  
"You're only bored because you make yourself bored," Yumi said, prodding Xiaoyu as she mounted her bike. "Now I've got to be going. I'm going out for dinner. My brother's birthday, you see."  
  
"Okay, see you later." Miharu waved as Yumi, followed by Rubi and Mika, cycled away, quickly waving back themselves.  
  
"Well, my ride is here." Xiaoyu nodded towards a limo that had just pulled up outside the gates. "I'll see you later?"  
  
"Of course," Miharu said, pulling her into a hug. "Cheer up for me while you're away."  
  
"I can but try," Xiaoyu heeded. "Goodbye, Miharu!"  
  
"Bye, Xiao!"  
  
Miharu waved her off and turned to walk alone, heading for home.  
  
She walked with her head in the clouds, thinking how the last two years just seemed to be so simple for her. Just everything being in a daily routine, being always the same. Not much variety. But she didn't mind since she'd thought she'd had enough surprises a few years back to last her for one lifetime.  
  
She had started to feel a lot better emotionally and her work seemed to have improved in school, after she managed to get a good score in her high school entry exams, though now, she seemed to be not doing as well as she thought she would be. For a fact, high school was much harder, and expected more commitment, practically too much. But she didn't fail to try.  
  
Her home life was much more peaceful and much less trying on her. Her father had become a much brighter man, and had seemingly come out a shell that had built around him when he was with his wife. After her death, he changed for the better. Also, he and Hanii Seika, her neighbour, seemed to have started up a relationship just recently. Miharu didn't mind, since she liked Hanii and saw her as a great mother figure. She'd always been there ever since her mother's death, and even before that.  
  
Though she appeared to be a happy girl, carrying on with life to the fullest, there was always a gap within her, a small place in her heart that just never could be filled. That place was where her love for Jin was.  
  
When Jin disappeared, she thought she'd never love again. Though she found herself in situations of favour with some of the boys at school, she deep down couldn't turn away from Jin, though he wasn't there. She would feel unfaithful, and she had promised herself to wait. Though, how long, she didn't know.  
  
'I'll never wait forever,' her subconscious whispered. 'But it doesn't hurt at this time in my life to have a little patience. There is always hope.'  
  
Thinking about him made her chest ache, but not like the ultimate pain she used to feel. Now it was just a dullness that she soon bypassed when her thoughts wandered, but she knew, he'd always be in her heart.  
  
"Hey! Miharu! Wait up!"  
  
She stopped, turning back to see a boy running towards her, waving with a cheerful smile on his face.  
  
His name was Yamaki Zuikou, one of the people who started fresh at Mishima High School, and not coming from the junior high part. He was quite popular amongst their peers and quite handsome at that, with his soft chestnut eyes and those thick waves of ebony locks that framed such a thin, sculpted face.  
  
Out of all the girls at Mishima High School, Yamaki had found himself captivated by Miharu. She was unique to say the least and wasn't anything like any of the snobbish popular girls. She wasn't obsessed with make up and clothes, but with more into other practical activities and she was also a very good fighter.  
  
Miharu was very skilled in Hakke Sho and Hika Ken-based Chinese martial arts, from what she had learned off Xiaoyu and also did a few basic Jujitsu moves. She had finally found a new teacher to take her on as of recently, since Jin was no longer around to teach her.  
  
She was something special and he was always trying to win her affection. Just one date with her would be a dream come true.  
  
"Hello, Yamaki," Miharu greeted with a soft smile.  
  
"Thanks for waiting," he said with a pant, joining her side as she continued on her journey. "So, how as your day been?"  
  
"The usual. Okay, I guess." She shrugged and continued smiling absently.  
  
He grinned. "Well, the school say I'm excelling in sports. It's a step closer to finally go for that scholarship I've always dreamed of."  
  
"Well, that's uh, really cool," Miharu nodded, trying to sound interested. She liked sports, but frankly, Yamaki did tend to try and show off too much.  
  
"You'll come watch the soccer game on Saturday, right?" He asked hopefully.  
  
"I would, but I usually go out shopping with the girls," Miharu said, thankful for the excuse.  
  
"Oh, never mind, I guess maybe another time," he said, still believing he'd find a way to get closer to her.  
  
She just shrugged, feeling relief hit her as she could see her house close by and she picked up the pace, trying to make it unnoticeable to Yamaki.  
  
"Well, I'm almost home," she said, pointing out her house. "It's been nice to walk with you. If only for a short time."  
  
He was flattered. "Thanks. We can do it again sometime!"  
  
Miharu grinned; trying to look thrilled with the idea. "Yeah, great."  
  
"Well, see you later," he gave her a hug, which made her suddenly go rigid.  
  
"Yeah, uh, later."  
  
She quickly pulled back and almost shot through her gate, completely embarrassed.  
  
Yamaki watched her escape into the safety of her house and he sighed lovingly.  
  
"What an extraordinary girl," he spoke through a daze, walking away.  
  
***  
  
Miharu picked up a note from the kitchen table, just as she dumped her bag down.  
  
'Gone to dinner with Hanii, be back later. Love dad.'  
  
Miharu nodded and found her had left her a dinner covered up on the counter top. She decided to cook it later and retired to her room, to take a nap.  
  
She kicked off her shoes and curled into the warmth of her blanket, trying to forget about Yamaki, who she thought, was crazy. She didn't understand why he acted so dopey around her. It was scary.  
  
She drifted away on the thoughts of boys. Did she ever truly understand them?  
  
***  
  
Cherry blossoms. Soft against the skin and hypnotically fragrant.  
  
Miharu rolled over to look across the vast field she lay in. There were little flowers everywhere, decorating in a beautiful pattern across the green acres. Though she wasn't exactly down on the grass, she herself was mounted on a high bed of cherry blossom petals, looking across the pastel colour scene like some sort of goddess.  
  
It was beautiful and made her soul feel at peace.  
  
She shifted and listened to the sifting sound as the silky gown moved over her skin like liquid. She let out a soft moan of pleasure. She loved the feel of silk, so cool on her skin. She lay back with closed eyes, listening to the birds sing and the feel of the gentle breeze caress her lightly.  
  
She felt long, tender fingers run through her hair. Her eyes opened to meet the soft expression of the man she adored. She reached up to touch that handsome face, letting her hands barely graze his supple skin. Her fingers played over his wispy hair.  
  
"Jin…" She murmured, her words drawing that gorgeous face to her, meeting her in a kiss.  
  
She was in the lap of luxury. Words could not espress how good it felt to feel those velvety lips pressed against her own. She felt like a jigsaw finally finding that missing last piece after so long. So wasn't willing to let him pull away as she tasted that flavour that always reminded her of exotic fruits, something that you couldn't have everyday.  
  
He pulled back slightly and she almost fainted at the tickled of his breath against her face. She knew he was about to speak; to utter some affection with that deep voice of his, but all her ears could pick up was a ringing, getting louder and louder.  
  
She flinched, and found the scenery melting around her and she was suddenly back within the enclosure of her bedroom.   
  
No field. No cherry blossoms. And worst of all, no Jin.  
  
She sighed tearfully, hating when her dreams tormented her.  
  
Gathering her thoughts, she finally got back to the ringing and realised it was the phone on her bedside unit. She muttered obscenities under her breath and reached out for the handset.  
  
She picked it up and answered without trying to sound too disgruntled. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey, Miharu, its Xiao."  
  
"Oh hi, what's up?"  
  
"Can you come over? I want to show you something."  
  
There was a faint touch of emotion within that voice that told Miharu that she was desperate for some reason.   
  
There was something Xiaoyu really wanted her to see.  
  
"Okay, I'll be right over."  
  
"Okay, see you soon."  
  
And they hung up. Miharu just grumbled to herself, climbing off the bed.  
  
She hoped for Xiaoyu's sake that it was something important to break away from her dreaming of Jin.  
  
***  
  
"I'm glad you made it over here so fast," Xiaoyu said as she guided Miharu up towards her bedroom. "No trouble getting in?"  
  
"No, I was quite surprised actually." Miharu didn't leave the shock out of her voice. "I think they trust me because I come here a lot and haven't done anything to upset them yet."  
  
"I don't know why Mishima-sama made the security tighter," Xiaoyu spoke her mind, trying to answer one of her inner most curious questions. "Something must be happening."  
  
"Could be," Miharu tried to answer, shrugging. "So, what did you want to show me?"  
  
As they went into her room, Xiaoyu shut the door hastily and set her laptop up in front of Miharu.  
  
"Take a look at this," she said and Miharu clicked on the small-minimised block on the taskbar. It came up with an e-mail.  
  
It read:  
  
Xiaoyu,  
  
Please understand that you are in grave danger. This is not a joke. I know what Heihachi is capable of. He has plans that could threaten you and people around you. You should be aware of changes that happen around you, as it may become important later. Please watch out for yourself and take care. Do not trust Heihachi and do not speak to him or any of his MFE staff about this.  
  
It was left unsigned.  
  
Miharu looked up at Xiaoyu, looking a little dubious at first.  
  
"Could be a hoax."  
  
"Maybe," Xiaoyu said, taking a seat by her friend. "But I just have this feeling… I just know this warning shouldn't ignored. You know, Miharu… I really do think it's from Jin…"  
  
Miharu's eyes widened. "You do?"  
  
"Yeah," Xiaoyu nodded surely. "I mean, he's been missing a while. Something must have happened with him and Mishima-sama. I always had my doubts as he didn't seem that upset with his grandson's disappearance."  
  
"Yeah, true," Miharu agreed with a nod.  
  
"And also, this was attached," Xiaoyu pointed her mouse pointer to a new window and opened a file, bringing up an advertisement.  
  
"The King of Iron Fist Tournament 4," Miharu read off the page. "My God! Another one?"  
  
"Strange, isn't it." Xiaoyu took on a serious tone. "That's one of the reasons I don't think it's a hoax. And for a fact, just looking around me, I can see the situation with Mishima-sama's employees is getting suddenly edgy. There are things being planned that are really important and could seriously be as bad as this anonymous e-mailer is making out."  
  
"And you still think its Jin." Miharu was almost dry mouthed.  
  
"I think so," Xiaoyu confirmed her thoughts.  
  
"Wow…" Miharu muttered, trailing into thought. 'I sure hope so…'  
  
"I'm going to enter the tournament," Xiaoyu said firmly, standing up. "I'll put a stop to whatever is going on around here, get the money for my amusement park and see if I can find Jin again."  
  
Miharu stood too. "I'm going to enter as well!"  
  
Xiaoyu froze up, looking shocked. "What! You? Why?"  
  
Miharu smiled. "Because I want to prove myself, and I want to put the Mishima fortune to good use. If Heihachi Mishima is doing something scandalous, then he will definitely not get away with it."  
  
"Alright then!" Xiaoyu took her friend's hand. "We'll go together, ready to fight. Lets show them all what girl power can really do."  
  
Miharu nodded, standing proudly next to her friend, though she wouldn't admit that she too wanted to find Jin. She missed the love of her life and wanted to know the truth about why he left. Though deep down, she was afraid of the answer. 


	3. Chapter 2

Love Worth Fighting For  
  
By Indigo Siren  
  
Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Weeks of preparation had come and gone, and the King of the Iron Fist Tournament had come once again. People from all over the world flocked to Japan, specifically to the Mishima Zaibatsu in Tokyo, the sponsoring company that accommodated its participants.  
  
One special night particularly, a pre-tournament introductory banquet was held. It brought all the fighters together for one night of peace and celebration of yet another competition, with Heihachi Mishima giving a speech and officially opening the tournament.   
  
The usual formal politics as it seemed.  
  
The banquet was held at one of the many prestigious halls on the Mishima grounds, decorated in lights, showing off the wealth and glamour that the Zaibatsu held in its grasp.  
  
The night would consist of a large feast, dancing and generally being a social gathering. It was a very open evening, with no limitations. Though Xiaoyu loved these kinds of events, she hated the fact she has to be trapped with restricting punctilious dressage. Heihachi has seen to it that she only wore the best money could buy.  
  
Her outfit was very established, compared to what everyone else was wearing. The yukata (a simple cotton kimono) that she had to wear was very traditional of Japanese wear for women. It was a very soft shade of pink, with the large belt being a deep red and maroon mixed pattern. She would have preferred to have worn something Chinese, as it felt she was insulting her own culture for wearing the yukata, but Heihachi insisted it showed she was very respectful and open to all aspects of worldly traditions.  
  
She felt rather naked without her trademark pigtails, as she was forced to wear them in buns, decorated in ruby-headed pins. It just wasn't the same. It made her feel like someone else. Some people hadn't even recognised her at first, especially Julia Chang, an old friend from the last tournament. After taking a while to convince her she was the same Ling Xiaoyu, she decided to hide in her seat along one the long tables that took up one end of the hall. The central part was where everyone was socialising, and where the dancing would be.  
  
She almost jumped as Lei Wulong appeared beside her. She looked up at him and realised he was too indulged at picking at the appetisers, he hadn't really noticed her. He was about to eat a small pastry when he noticed her and jumped.  
  
"Woah!" He just managed to keep hold of the little snack. "Xiaoyu! This is a pleasant surprise!"  
  
"Hello, Lei!" She grinned, hopping up from her seat and giving him a tight hug.  
  
"Easy, little pixie," he wheezed as she held onto him tightly. "I'm not as stable as I used to be! These old bones are showing their wear!"  
  
"Come off it!" Xiaoyu argued, stepping back with her hands on her hips. "You're not old!"  
  
"You'd be surprised," he said with a wink. "So, what you doing in the tournament? After that dream amusement park again?"  
  
Xiaoyu's eyes lit up. "Yeah! How could I not? I really am prepared to do what it takes."  
  
"Better luck this year," he patted her shoulder, turning to smile at the new comer to their group. "Ah, Julia, I wondered where you ran off to."  
  
"I got trapped by that Paul Phoenix guy," Julia came to stand with them, sighing. "He's not very smooth with the ladies. He needs to know that he hair is a big turn off!"  
  
Lei burst out laughing hard, enough to almost choke.  
  
Xiaoyu patted his back. "Calm down, big boy."  
  
"And besides, you went off hunting the food they've put out thus far," Julia emphasised by pointing at the pastry he had in his hand. He just shrugged, going back to attack the tray of little delicacies.  
  
***  
  
Miharu stepped across the large courtyard of the Mishima Zaibatsu, heading towards the large hall where the sounds of classical music enraptured an immense audience. She could tell most of the competitors were already there.  
  
As she went to the main doors, she was asked for her invite. She quickly fished it from her purse and entered, sighing as the warmth hit her. It had been too damn cold outside, for what she was wearing anyway.  
  
The thin blouse hung loose over her skin and was almost transparent. The sleeves were wide ended and her hand was nearly covered by the thin layer, and she found it difficult to pick things up, as she had to push the sleeves up to do so. The thin strapped dress over the top was a silver colour and tied with a bow at the back. She wanted to look very feminine and young, almost deceiving to be weak. The click of her high heels on the marble floor prompted a few heads to turn her way on her entering the large hall, but most were either dismissive or didn't care.  
  
She suddenly felt lost. There was so many people milling about. She just slowly walked around the edge of the hall, avoiding the bulking masses of well-built men that seemed to appear out of nowhere. She didn't know whether she was intimidated or just plain grossed out.  
  
"Miharu! Over here!"  
  
She perked up when hearing that voice and followed the sound to one of the long tables just a way from where she was standing. Xiaoyu smiled and waved, and Miharu quickly made her way over to the Chinese girl, who was huddled together with two other people around a small part of the table.  
  
Xiaoyu greeted her with a hug. "Glad you could make it!"  
  
"Sorry I'm late," she apologised. "I had problems with the taxi. It came fifteen minutes late and then we got caught in traffic. So typical!"  
  
"Aww, poor you," Xiaoyu consoled and guided her attention to the two other people. "Miharu, I would like you to meet my friends. This is Julia Chang." The older girl nodded and said her hello. "And this is Lei Wulong. Lei, Julia, this is Miharu Hirano."  
  
Miharu's eyes widened at the older man. "Super Police, Lei Wulong?"  
  
"You know me?" He extended his hand to her and they shook.  
  
"I've heard many things through my father. My Uncle works for the Tokyo police and your name comes up a lot."  
  
"It's great to know I'm still appreciated in some places," he said almost bitterly, but turned away from wherever that deep emotion came from and continued to smile at Miharu, drawing his hand back. "It's a pleasure."  
  
Miharu nodded and took the seat that was offered to her by the Chinese girl and they sat down to talk. She learnt a lot about the two new friends she had just made, and thought her life was boring compared to theirs.  
  
She found out Julia was part of a Native American community after being adopted into their tribe, and that also she was a college student in Arizona and studied archaeology. She'd been doing a project on reforestation for her homeland but the project was suspended due to an incident and her leads brought her to the tournament.  
  
Lei's was a story that made her sympathise. His girlfriend had left him and now he was on suspension due to a mess up with his work. His role at the tournament was to crack a case and redeem his honour. Miharu wished him the best of luck.  
  
Of course, before she could blab on about how abominable her life had been thus far, a man approached them, a rather irritable look on his face. He was dressed in a loose shirt and trousers, looking clean and respectable, but with that added feeling of being unrefined. His hair was slicked back in a mass of fiery red, which suddenly had her pin a street punk tag on him.  
  
Xiaoyu turned as he came and her face went blank. "Oh, it's you."  
  
"Ling Xiaoyu…" He said with a mocking smile. "You ain't any different since I last saw you. Still a little pixie doll made of sugar and spice and all that crap."  
  
She scowled. "What do you want? If you just came to insult me, get it over with then push off. I'm not going to let you ruin my night."  
  
"Chill," he said, raising his hands. "I just wanted to know if you've seen Kazama?"  
  
Xiaoyu's face never changed, though the look in her eyes showed that hearing his name brought back so many long forgotten memories.  
  
"Look, he's been missing since the last tournament, nobody's seen him," she said sternly.  
  
"Don't get all touchy," he snapped at her. "I was just asking. I knew that pansy boy wouldn't show."  
  
Miharu gripped the table spread, almost tearing it under her fingers. She wanted to plant her foot straight in his mouth, but that would get her nowhere. And besides, she wasn't prepared to fight and by the looks of him, he may easily squash her like a bug.  
  
"Watch what you say about Jin," Xiaoyu growled. "If he shows or not, it's his business."  
  
"You better stay out of my way, pixie princess," he put his finger onto her head, pushing back until she slapped his hand away, hard. "But if I find out you've been holding out information on me about Kazama's whereabouts, I won't hesitate to break in that pretty little face of yours."  
  
"Just try it," Xiaoyu challenged, narrowing her eyes.  
  
He looked like he was getting into a fighting stance before Lei intervened, standing between them.  
  
"Just go find someone else to harass, and stop trying to pick fights," he warned.  
  
"Whatever, old man. I'm going anyway," he turned, not before casting an icy glare on Xiaoyu. He walked away with a heavy stride.  
  
There was moment's silence before Miharu spoke up. "Who was that?"  
  
"You had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting Hwoarang," Julia said.  
  
"He's such a retard," Xiaoyu muttered, the anger never leaving her face.  
  
Miharu raised an eyebrow. "Hwoarang, eh? Sounds like a toilet cleaner."  
  
The other three turned to her. Xiaoyu's angry expression had turned to that of pure amusement. Miharu joined in with the laughing that ensued.   
  
"May I have your attention please," A voice rang out over a radio system.  
  
The hall began to quiet down and Miharu and the group hid their laughter behind faint sniggering, so they could listen.  
  
"Thank you, now may I introduce to you, the leader of the Mishima Financial Empire and the sponsor of the tournament. The King of the Iron Fist himself, Heihachi Mishima."  
  
The hall erupted into applauds, but most were half-hearted or very sarcastic. The CEO of the Mishima Zaibatsu stepped out onto the large platform a head of them, dressed in an expensively tailored suit, overlapped by a coat with a big fur trim. His old wrinkling face was cast into a deep smile, as he rose a hand to quiet the room down again.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to my humble estate, and thank you for coming tonight to this illustrious banquet. Before my attendants serve you the most exquisite of feasts that you'll ever have the fortune to taste, I'd like to say a few words to you all."  
  
"Boring… Pass me a pillow," Julia whispered. "Nobody minds me sleeping do they?"  
  
Xiaoyu giggled lightly. "Go right ahead."  
  
"As you know, the Iron Fist Tournament is the most successful fighting competition, that has brought together the best of best the world has to offer. For many years, the best fighters have crossed my path and proved they are worthy to challenge for the title of the King of Iron Fist. But, unfortunately, they could not stand tall against the head of the Mishima Zaibatsu. But this year, I see a lot of worthy challengers amongst you. I will be glad to see you throughout this competition. So without further ado, I declare that the King of Iron Fist Tournament 4, has begun."  
  
Cheers echoed off the walls of the hall, and Heihachi stood proud, smile widening.  
  
"Thank you. Bring in the feast," Heihachi beckoned to his staff and a set of doors opened, revealing people pushing in trolley after trolley, containing trays of food.  
  
"Now, this is what I came for!" Lei grinned, getting his shoulder playfully punched by Xiaoyu.  
  
***  
  
"I'm stuffed," Xiaoyu groaned as she rubbed a full stomach.  
  
"I'm going to burst out of my dress," Miharu said, wiping her mouth with her napkin.  
  
"What an awful sight that would be," Xiaoyu teased, only to get the used napkin thrown her way. She dodged it and stuck out her tongue.  
  
"Oh, they've changed the music," Julia noted, as now the songs were much more modern then before. "Finally, something I can dance to."  
  
"It's a slow song," Lei grinned and held out his hand to her. "Care to dance?"  
  
"Why not," she accepted the hand and he took her to the dance floor where others had got a similar idea.  
  
Xiaoyu smiled at them as they went but it soon faded as she and Miharu were left aside the dancing, with nobody to cuddle up to.  
  
"Depressing isn't it," Miharu said, literally speaking Xiaoyu's mind.  
  
"Yeah. Where are the decent boys when you need them?" Xiaoyu sunk into her chair.  
  
"Look about, there may be someone out there just for you," Miharu said as they both gazed at all the different men, unique with their different colours, heights and personalities.  
  
"No way, not my type of men," Xiaoyu shook her head. "Too egotistical. And they are all about being buff and inhumanly strong!"  
  
"What is your kind of man?" Miharu inquired.  
  
"I don't know," Xiaoyu said with a sigh. "I'm going to raid the punch bowl. You want some?"  
  
"Not for me thanks," Miharu declined. "Water suits me just fine."  
  
Xiaoyu mouthed an okay and left Miharu sitting alone, watching the dancers in the centre of the room. Some looked like matches made in heaven, while others looked very grumpy, like they were forced into the dancing ritual.  
  
The air was hot, almost as if the building were a giant oven, cooking them slowly. The heat had brought a red flush across Miharu's cheeks and over the bridge of her nose. She settled back in the cool seat, closing her eyes as she felt the first sting of sweat lick at her eyelids. She fumbled blindly for a napkin on the table, knocking over an empty glass before finding a clean one stacked in the middle of the table.  
  
She dabbed her face and slowly blinked, ignoring the blur as she rubbed the soft tissue over her eyes, returning her vision. She wiped her forehead and settled back again.  
  
Her eyes trailed over the bustling hall, looking at each individual who could be a future opponent. She saw Lei and Julia still dancing, but this time Julia was trying to get him to move to a more rhythmical beat. It brought a smile to Miharu's lips, and her attention went past them to a blonde man standing by a far wall, chatting to a group of ladies. His hair was slicked back and now and again, he'd rub his hand over his hair, laughing wildly with bright eyes. His voice was loud and vibrant, and she could instantly tell by the accent that he was British. Close to him, she kept see a blonde woman in a tight purple dress that was high above the knee. She was watching the British man carefully, but also melded in with the crowd often enough that she seemed to disappear into thin air. She saw that Hwoarang man chatting to a busty woman, who barely looked older than she did. She was dressed in a revealing top and skirt, flicking back deep burgundy hair. She was definitely flirting with the redhead, and he loved it. She turned away, disgusted, her eyes suddenly falling towards a thicket of people. She stood up slowly, her breath caught in her throat.  
  
Was it her imagination, or was she seeing that familiar dark widows peak? She squinted and tried to get a better look as that headed bobbed about behind the groups of people. She left the table and advanced towards the crowd. She prayed that it was Jin. She would die and go to heaven just to see his face again.  
  
She pushed through the crowd, ever getting closer, but to her horror, whomever it was moved away, heading for the door. She panicked and rushed, almost tripping in her high heels. She apologised to people she pushed and was glad to make it through. She froze.  
  
He wasn't there. No sign of him or anyone with that similar hair style.  
  
Her heart sank.  
  
"You alright, Miharu?" Xiaoyu joined her side, sipping her punch.  
  
"Oh, I… just though I saw someone," Miharu said slowly, eyes still scanning.  
  
"Want to go join me on the dance floor?" Xiaoyu finished up her drink, giving pleading eyes to her friend.  
  
Miharu gave up and turned to Xiaoyu, giving a small nod. "Alright then."  
  
"Wicked." She took her arm and pulled her back further into the room, though Miharu didn't keep her eyes from the doorway.  
  
She could have sworn she'd seen him. But then again, her mind loved to play tricks on her. 


	4. Chapter 3

Love Worth Fighting For  
  
By Indigo Siren  
  
Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The Aqua Garden mall had only been opened a year ago and was one now one of Tokyo's proud new establishments. It was widely used publicly and people travelled far to visit all the new illustrious shops that had opened up within the four walls. It's was seen as one of the most posh publicly used buildings in modern Japan.  
  
Miharu thought it was a great place to shop, and had always liked it better than the last mall they had, which recently became a car park across the other side of Tokyo.   
  
Today, she was clothes shopping for things to wear during her participation in the tournament. She was looking out for shorts and sleeveless tops, and articles along that line for her to compete in.  
  
She stepped out of 'Foppish', one of the new brand named shops. She juggled a couple of bags of clothes from what she had just brought from while holding the door for another person to enter. They thanked her and she carried on her way.   
  
The 'Foppish' clothes were nice, and she had luckily been able to find some things that she wanted, but thought that most of the clothes they sold there were either really too provocative or very overly priced. It didn't matter though, she had got what she wanted and she now had to keep her appointment with meeting up with her friends.  
  
Xiaoyu, Mika, Rubi and Yumi had promised to meet her around noontime for lunch at the Café Macaron, which was only just across the way from where Miharu was. They hadn't been able to make it out early in the morning to help Miharu with her clothes shopping, but had promised to hang out afterwards for lunch.  
  
She made her way over, swinging her many bags about, suddenly cringing at how full the café was. The Café Macaron was very popular, and at this usual time, businessmen would come in for lunch. It was the normal stop off for people who had their lunch hour at this time and just wanted a nice, hot dinner.  
  
Miharu stepped inside to the smell of freshly brewing coffee, the obvious stench of cigarettes from the smoking corner and the riveting aroma from the many plates of juicy meats and steamed vegetables. It was the usual perked café smell.  
  
She grabbed the only vacant table near the doorway and set her bags into the seat next to her. She let out a tired sigh and sat back, stretching her legs beneath the table.  
  
A waitress came over to her almost immediately. She was dressed neatly in a peach coloured skirt and blouse, with a small apron around her waist that had a large open pocket, clinking with money as she moved. The café's name sewn onto the left breast pocket of her shirt and her nametag with 'Rika' on was pinned on the right side.  
  
She dipped into the breast pocket for a glittery notepad and grabbed a cute 'Hello Kitty' pencil from behind her ear.   
  
She smiled that usual warm and welcoming smile, which waitresses seemed to present so well. "Hi there, what can I get for you?"  
  
"Oh, could I have a soda, please," Miharu answered, fumbling for her purse in her bag. "And a cream bun."  
  
"Sure, I'll be back in a moment," and Rika, sauntered off.  
  
Miharu held her purse at top her bag against her lap, waiting for her to come back with her order. Though they were busy, her order was pretty simple enough to get. She checked her watch and saw it was ten to twelve. Her friends would be there soon.  
  
Rika came back with her orders and Miharu paid her and she was left to sip an icy cool soda, and stare at the most scrumptious looking cream bun on the planet. She snagged a bit of the cream that had seeped from the pastry and lapped it up off her finger, smiling contentedly. There was nothing like a good sweet treat to reboot her energy after a good morning of shopping.  
  
She scanned the café idly, bored with having to wait for her friends to show up. The room was packed with people moving about to get to tables and the waitresses going about to take orders. The noise was so loud, she couldn't even hear herself think, though there wasn't a lot on her mind, only her considering of visiting the Mishima funded facilities to go to her training before her first match, which was a day or so away.  
  
The facilities were part of the large hotel complex, which Heihachi Mishima funded. During the tournament, only people in the tournament were allowed in and out. The large halls, turned temporarily into make shift dojos, were very spacious and well adapted to use for training.  
  
Miharu went nearly everyday, but didn't know whether to decide to take the day off or not. She was tired and the hot air around the café wasn't making her feel any better.  
  
For a second, she thought her eyes were showing her a mirage for how hot she felt, because again, like she had seen nearly a week ago at the banquet, that familiar spiked back hair style stood out prominent through the crowd. She blinked and rubbed her eyes, looking again. It was no mirage; someone with the widows peak hairstyle was sat a few rows a head of her, practically obscured by moving people.  
  
She shifted to get a better look, having to look over and through people to see if it was Jin or not. Whoever it was had his back to her and was dressed in a pale shirt with a dark jacket hung over the back of the seat. Staring long and hard at him, she suddenly felt a burst of excitement. It just had to be Jin!  
  
She jumped up, nearly knocking her chair over. She dodged through the crowded café, desperate to get through. She felt her heart leap into her throat as she was practically at his table.  
  
"JIN…" She stopped abruptly as he turned.  
  
Her face went pale and her stomached twisted. It wasn't Jin at all and she felt the pang of embarrassment hit her right in the face.  
  
The man she was staring at was much older than Jin, maybe a decade or so. He was much darker skinned, dressed more business like, and noticeably his face was set blankly with a stern touch. She almost melted in a sudden shudder as he stared at her, an eyebrow raised. She couldn't help put notice the scar on his left cheek, and she felt a sudden cold reminisce come from him. She was glad his eyes were hidden behind sunglasses, though it was strange that he would wear them indoors.  
  
She stepped back and quickly bowed. "I'm sorry, I uh…" She backed away further, timid under his hard stare. "I thought you were someone else…"  
  
She turned and nearly collided with a waitress carrying trays of food. She apologised quickly and went round her, managing not to trip over a chair in her path. She slunk off back to her own table, sinking low in her seat as she shakily ate her cream bun, trying to pretend it never happened.  
  
***  
  
Kazuya Mishima watched the young Japanese girl run away like a frightened rabbit, going back to her table and trying to hide behind her food. He looked over at her intently, seeing how afraid she was to meet his gaze. He turned to his associate sat at the table with him, who was completely oblivious to what had happened, behind a cup of coffee.  
  
"Konoha, I'm certain I've seen that girl before, who is she?"  
  
The man across from him looked up and adjusted his glasses as he looked at the girl that his boss was referring to.  
  
"I'm not sure of her name, Mishima-sama, but she is a participant in the tournament. She was finishing up her training at the hotel's training facility when we went there."  
  
Kazuya turned from looking at him, and back to the girl for a moment, who was nursing a drink in her hands, staring at it as if it was the most important thing in the world. She had called him Jin mistakenly. He knew that name of course. It belonged to his son, the person he was trying to find. Jin had something that belonged to him, something that would make him complete. Maybe that girl would be able to help him in some way…  
  
He returned his attention to Konoha. "I want you to find out who that girl is. Everything you can. I want to keep my eye on her. She maybe of some help to me."  
  
"Yes, Mishima-sama," Konoha answered.  
  
A woman dressed in a navy business suit, skirt riding high on her long legs, sank into a seat by Kazuya, handing a hot drink to him. She was another one of his associates. "So, what's with the girl? I noticed she pretty much raced over to you like a moth to a light bulb. You know her at all?"  
  
"No, she thought I was someone else," he said, sipping the hot fluid gratefully.  
  
"Aww, what a shame, I bet it would have been nice to have a little fan," she sweetly teased. "Or maybe something more…"  
  
He turned slowly to her, his face never changing from the stern blankness it always displayed.  
  
"It would be wise of you to be a little less suggestive of my personal affairs, Miss Safaia," he warned monotonously.  
  
She bowed her head, though the rather tantalising look on her face never changed. "I am sorry, Mishima-sama." She flashed him a smile, watching him roll his eyes behind his glasses. She took a sip of her drink before speaking again. "So, you drag us out here for lunch to discuss business. Now we are settled, what business did you want to talk about?"  
  
Kazuya arranged the cuff of his sleeve, not looking at the other two. "It regards how things will be dealt after my inevitable victory at the King of Iron Fist Tournament." His eyes raised to them, a small glint of red, glowing behind the left lens. "Because I can tell you, I will make sure things change for the better when I take control of the Mishima Financial Empire…"  
  
***  
  
"Woah, Miharu!" Xiaoyu said, taking a seat ahead of her friend. "You look spooked. Something the matter?"  
  
"No, not really… just, uh, the prices of clothes…"  
  
Xiaoyu laughed. "Never be surprised at that! Everything is so over priced in here!"  
  
Rubi took a seat next to Miharu. "You sure that's all?"  
  
Miharu nodded, a little too fast. "Yes, very sure. Thanks for worrying about me."  
  
Rubi looked at her with a confused expression as Miharu just smiled at her meekly, but she left it well alone as Yumi and Mika started arguing over the drink orders, and she had to play referee.  
  
Miharu cast a glance past her friends to the man she had sorely mistaken for Jin. He was now talking to the other people at his table, and it looked like formal business. She felt her spine turn to jelly in fear as she looked at him. His presence alone seemed to make her quiver and she knew she'd be afraid even more if he had actually said something to her.  
  
After a moment of talking, he stopped and looked back over her way, as if he had known she had been looking his way all along. She couldn't look at his face for more than a second before turning back to her friends.   
  
She knew that somehow she'd end up crossing paths with him again. 


	5. Chapter 4

Love Worth Fighting For  
  
By Indigo Siren  
  
Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.  
  
A/N: I believe there would be preliminary rounds - I think more people would be starting off in the competition. Well, enjoy!  
  
Chapter 4  
  
The sandy floor kicked up as people moved about frantically to put their equipment aside for the upcoming match. The sounds of directory calls were lost in the cheers and horns that crawled around the small arena. Everyone was ready to watch a good match.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the preliminary rounds of the King of Iron Fist Tournament 4. Our first bout today, Miharu Hirano versus Harmony Jade…"  
  
"Well, here I go…" Miharu said as she stepped out into the battle arena, her presence picking up the cheers of the gathering people.  
  
Miharu stepped into the large white chalked centre circle, adjusting her wristbands, kicking up the dusty ground beneath her feet. She shook her head, leaning it back as she made sure the band keeping her hair out of her face stayed on. She looked up at the bright cerulean sky and closed her eyes with a smile. She could feel the heat of the sun rest against her face.   
  
The day was perfect, and it made her ever more ready for this fight.  
  
She began her stretch routine. She leaned onto one leg as she spread the other behind her, feeling that slight twinge that pulled on the muscle, then traded legs to do the same to the other. She dealt with other parts of her body, loosening up all her muscles. A light, cool sweat had softly built up on her skin. She was glad she was wearing a loose sleeveless top and shorts, as the sweat wouldn't cling too badly now or even during the bout, that is, if her opponent was as well prepared and able to put up a decent fight.  
  
Miharu turned on the sound of footsteps and found herself standing a metre or so away from the young woman whom she was about to fight  
  
She was a tall, broom handle thin, Canadian girl with a long mane of golden brown hair, tied back with a long red ribbon. She wore a cropped pink spandex top that hugged tightly to her well-bloomed front. It strained as she stretched her arms back, looking rather painful to wear. Her trousers were blinding as they shimmered with a glittering, light material, which rolled like liquid over her legs with her movement. This Harmony Jade girl was out just to look pretty, and it made Miharu wonder if her fighting skills were up to much.  
  
"Ah, Miharu Hirano," she said, a cocky grin on her face. "So, you're the one I'm gonna beat, eh?"  
  
Miharu frowned. "Don't be too sure."  
  
It was always good to do a background check on the competition, and what Miharu had read up on about this girl, seemed iffy. Her fighting style was just written as standard fist fighting, which made her think she was a girl who practised with a street brawling style and very little technique. No way would she advance far into the tournament, even if she beat Miharu or not.  
  
Harmony Jade warmed up slightly as the official came over to explain the rules. They nodded as he went through the short list and wished them the best of luck. He stepped away from the starting white circle.  
  
The announcer's voice boomed through the large speakers:  
  
"Miharu Hirano vs. Harmony Jade. Ready? FIGHT!"  
  
And so it begun…  
  
Harmony Jade didn't waste any time when the fight call was made, and she launched herself at Miharu, throwing a heavy fist towards her face. Miharu jumped slightly and took a step back, grabbing the incoming arm and turned, using the momentum from the punch against the attacker as the force threw the other girl onto the sandy floor. Miharu heard her make a shocked shriek as she fell.  
  
Harmony had been stunned. She didn't think the girl would react so fast. She boiled inside at how stupid she must have looked. She wouldn't let her get away with such a humiliation.  
  
She was up on her feet like lightning, turning sharp eyes on her Japanese opponent. She rushed her again, this time leaping into a jumping kick. Miharu anticipated this kind of action and rolled to her right, coming up on the other side as the girl landed roughly.  
  
Harmony Jade shook her head as she ignored the stinging scrape on her leg and she clambered to her feet, turning back to Miharu. If her eyes could have turned red, they'd have been blazing the colour of like hell's fire there and then.   
  
She ran at Miharu again, this time, going low with a baseball slide. But still, Miharu managed to dodge her, performing a 'Front Layout', leaping high into the somersault. The Japanese girl proved she could do well on the defensive.  
  
The Canadian was getting aggravated. "Can't you stand still for one minute! You're such a coward!"  
  
Miharu landed and instantly turned, smiling cheekily. "Stand still in a fight? No way! Catch me if you can!"  
  
Miharu was slowly backing away, in a teasing manor that made Harmony Jade get up in a huff and stomp her foot like a child with a temper tantrum. Miharu shook her head lightly, putting up her defences, as the girl looked ready to attack again.  
  
'She's got the strength, but she's too overzealous and tactically weak,' Miharu thought.  
  
With a loud battle cry, Harmony Jade came at Miharu again, confirming that she'd been right of her strategy. She swung her fist towards her face again, but Miharu parried fast, swinging the girl's arm away from her, opening up the opportunity for her to clip her under the chin with the 'Butter the Bread' uppercut.  
  
Harmony Jade stumbled back, rubbing her jaw. "Oh, so you do fight and not just perform circus tricks!"  
  
Miharu smiled. "You'd be surprised…"  
  
Harmony Jade swiftly stepped forward and attempted to roundhouse Miharu, but wasn't fast enough to catch her as she dodged with a cartwheel to the left. She turned just as Miharu performed a 'Cloud Kick', connecting her foot with the side of her opponent's head. Harmony Jade gasped as she was flipped down sideways, landing hard on her side.   
  
Miharu knew that she had a strong chance of winning this bout, with the way the other fighter seemed to work.  
  
She was very generous to let Harmony Jade have a few seconds breather, as this time around, she got up slower with a disorientated expression on her face. The kick to the head must have been an effective one, and now she was holding her ribs as she stood, as it seemed the heavily landing had had some effect.  
  
"You are so gonna pay for that," she hissed breathlessly.   
  
"Oh really, let's just see about that," Miharu said, deciding it was her turn to go on the offence.  
  
She went straight into the 'Fortune Cookie' combo, with the first two moves snapping Harmony Jade's head down and then backwards, before the last shot thundered into her gut, sending her soaring backwards onto the sandy ground. Harmony Jade rolled onto her good side, coughing harshly, staggering up to her feet, though she was close to dropping to her knees.  
  
The crowd was drinking in the action and begging for more with their rowdy cheers.  
  
Miharu watched the girl lean over, having trouble taking in her breaths. It seemed she could throw the punches, but not be able to take them herself.  
  
Miharu considered that one good move would be all it would take to floor her, the way she was. She needed to use quite an uplifting move, which would be sure put her down.  
  
It was time for a change of style. She shifted stances and moved in closer. She closed her eyes and prayed for Jin, wherever he was, to give her strength now. She hoped his teachings, which seemed she'd learned so long ago, would help her now and she was determined to show the world that in some way, he would always be a part of her.  
  
Harmony Jade had seen Miharu beginning to close the gap between them and screamed, leaping forward, hoping to catch her off guard in a chance to win the fight.  
  
It was what Miharu was waiting for and she instantly side-stepped, rushing forward and hooking her arm up into the 'Tooth Fairy', the uppercut smashing her square in the face, lifting her momentarily into the air. Time stalled if only for a moment and Harmony Jade finally hit the ground. She gave a half-hearted moan, not bothering to get back up.  
  
Miharu stepped back, eyes wide. The official came over, and checked Harmony Jade and shook his head, signally to the stands then pointed to Miharu.  
  
"MIHARU HIRANO WINS!"  
  
The Japanese girl almost fell over when hearing her name announced. It had been too easy, and her opponent totally unprepared. She never even got hit during the bout! It didn't help her out much as she knew she's have to face much stronger and better-trained opponents later. But besides all this background feelings, she was thrilled to have won her first match and thus began her victory revel.  
  
***  
  
Near the back gate of one of the shaded stands, a hooded man stood, fixated with Miharu who was jumping about in a post-match celebration. He smiled faintly. He was glad to see her happy. Just looking at her made him realise she was just as beautiful as ever, maybe even more so. He had been surprised by the last move to finish the match. After all this time, she had never truly forgotten the Jujitsu style. He knew she'd never forget. He sunk back into the shadows wishing he could reveal himself to her, to hold her in his arms. But he knew if he feed the craving for just one touch, he'd find his heart asking for a whole lot more.  
  
***  
  
"She truly is a worthy fighter, Mishima-sama," Konoha said as he stood from his seat in the stands. "Don't you agree?"  
  
Kazuya turned to look him, just beginning to stand as well. "She has a lot to learn."  
  
"Yes, yes, true," Konoha quickly said in agreement.  
  
Kazuya had already returned his focus to Miharu when Konoha was talking. He saw she was now celebrating with the young Chinese fighter, Ling Xiaoyu, who'd come from the back to meet her after the bout.  
  
'Miharu Hirano… a name I may grow accustomed to,' he though. 'For I have a feeling you have a connection that is useful to me.'  
  
He was about to turn to leave when his senses went wild. Something sparked inside him, coming to life with a presence. He looked about, eyes scanning the stands.  
  
"Are you alright, Mishima-sama?" Konoha asked.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine," Kazuya said monotone, following the smaller man.  
  
Though he hadn't seen him, he sensed his son near by. The pieces were slowly forming a perfect picture and he knew this Miharu Hirano had something to do with his close presence.  
  
If he kept her close, maybe he had a better chance of finding his son.  
  
***  
  
Miharu felt refreshed from the quick shower she took in the locker rooms and stepped out, now dressed in jeans and a long sleeved, form fitting, V-neck top.  
  
On stepping out, she saw Xiaoyu was talking to Yamaki. She was surprised he'd actually come to watch her match. She groaned inwardly, knowing he always loved to unknowingly pester her and try so hard to chat her up.  
  
She greeted the pair, and felt her hopes of having a decent conversation with Yamaki fade as he suddenly seemed to forget Xiaoyu existed, eyes becoming completely infatuated on her.  
  
"Wow, Miharu! I never knew you were such a good fighter! You said you'd trained, but, seriously! WOW! You're amazing!"  
  
Miharu just smiled. "Thanks. Had to see for yourself, did you?"  
  
"I never doubted you," he said attentively.  
  
Miharu just nodded at that and turned to Xiaoyu. "Oh, Xiao! I just remembered, we have some stuff to catch up on."  
  
Xiaoyu raised an eyebrow. "Stuff?" She questioned and suddenly realised that she was driving at something. "Oh yeah! Stuff! Sorry, Yamaki, got to go!"  
  
Yamaki just nodded, eyes still staring at Miharu. "Yeah, sure, we could hang out another day, if you want?"  
  
"Sure, yeah… uh, that would be great," Miharu almost stumbled on her words as she took Xiaoyu's arm and dragged her away as she broke into a run. "Bye!"  
  
"Bye!" He said after them and sighed. "Ah, a woman playing hard to get. She's so great…"  
  
***  
  
"Uh, Miharu, what's going on?" Xiaoyu asked, as they came to a stop at the back of the large car park. "Why did we just run away from Yamaki?"  
  
"Oh, Xiao, it's so obvious that he's trying to come on to me," Miharu put her head against the large wall there, stopping herself from smashing her head against it repeatedly. "I can't stand him!"  
  
"Why not?" Xiaoyu imposed upon her friend. "He's cute and quite popular, and for once, he's one of the nicer crowd."  
  
"It's the little things, Xiao," Miharu explained. "He's just so irritating when he's near me. It's like I'm some sort of addictive drug. And he also blabs too much about stupid things or about himself. It doesn't impress me."  
  
"Most of the time, it's called idle chit chat," Xiaoyu tried to reason. "And besides, you're a single girl, why don't you go for a guy like Yamaki?"  
  
Miharu was about to say, 'Because It'd be like cheating on Jin,' but she stopped herself. Xiaoyu didn't know and it was best she didn't.   
  
She sighed. "I guess I'm not ready for a relationship."  
  
"I'd say you are," Xiaoyu pushed on, taking her friends arm as they walked across the car park. "I think we've reached a stage in our lives when its time to start thinking about long term relationships. Why don't you give Yamaki a shot, even just one date. Then you can be sure if he's your type or not."  
  
"I'll think about it," Miharu said, and she knew her voice wasn't convincing by the look she received from Xiaoyu. "Okay, I'll REALLY think about it."  
  
"I hope so," the Chinese girl said. "Because you can't let all the nice guys just walk away."  
  
Miharu's thoughts drifted onto Jin. Such a wonderful, kind person, and the perfect candidate for the nice guy category.   
  
Being with him had been a dream she never knew she wanted, and then, he'd walked away, disappearing off the face of the Earth, as it seemed.   
  
Could she afford to wait now? 


	6. Chapter 5

Love Worth Fighting For  
  
By Indigo Siren  
  
Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
The wind blew lightly, pressing gently against the heads of the vast field of flowers, making them sway in the same soft rhythm. Though, Miharu's bare legs broke this as she passed through the thick patches, looking around with confusion at the setting.  
  
She was intrigued to find herself within this open field, made up of beautiful blue flowers that glimmered royally in the beaming sunlight. The soft blooming petals tickled against her legs as she passed them carefully. As the wind breathed against her, she unexpectedly smelled something sweet and aromatic and soon realised it was the potent flowers releasing their perfume into the hot air. Miharu closed her eyes to take in the fragrance. Never in her life had she smelled anything so beautiful.  
  
She suddenly stopped when she heard the sound of running water close by and she began looking around for the source. It was getting louder and louder, though she was not moving in any direction at all and she began to spin around frantically in her search. The sound of the water was suddenly deafening, but not only that, she could hear harsh whispers that snapped at her in a language she didn't understand.  
  
She covered her ears, flinching, as the sun seemed to blaze with a tormenting white light. The surroundings glowed with such a blinding radiance, she thought her eyes might burn out of their sockets.  
  
She jumped as a shimmering form appeared in front of her. The sound stopped abruptly, as if it had been sucked from the universe. Nothing could be heard at all.  
  
She blinked, looking clueless to this shimmering thing in front of her. It was like a thick oily liquid that flowed in the distorted shape of a human. It seemed to be looking at her, even though no eyes could be seen. It made her shudder as she could feel an iciness prickle over her skin, raising Goosebumps on her arms. She jumped, turning to see more of them form around her, sensing her in some way, finding intrigue with her being.  
  
She gulped, hearing their whispers pass between each other. She couldn't understand what they were saying, but the words passing were becoming harsh, and she suddenly felt fear creep up her spine.  
  
They began to close in around her in tight unison. She gasped, looking for a way of escape. What were these things and what did they want from her?  
  
One to her right hissed and its liquid form shot at her. She screamed and ducked down, feeling its slick fluid form flow over her head. Seeing an opportunity of escape, she dived for the opening, getting back to her feet and putting all her energy into running as fast as she could.  
  
Her breath was practically caught in her throat as she ran, hearing them give chase to her, moving through the field like raging rivers, swamping the flowers as they went. They were closing on her fast and she knew she couldn't run forever.  
  
She looked back to see they were right behind her and she squeaked, turning and colliding with someone. She fell back with a cry of shock and quickly looked up to whom she had run into. She was surprised to see it was a beautiful young, Japanese woman, with fairly long raven hair, held back by a white headband. She was dressed in a long, white, flowing summer gown; the thin material rustled against the wind, licking at Miharu's face with such a feathery touch, it made her quiver. Looking up at the face of the women, her eyes were welcoming orbs, soft and assuring.  
  
The woman looked away from Miharu and up to the liquid creatures, which were ready to crash down over Miharu.  
  
"STOP!" The single word held so much power; Miharu felt her whole body jolt with a sudden burst of invisible electricity coming from this woman. It surged through her and then up into the sky high above, making it glow a brilliant white. And like magic, the pernicious liquid beings suddenly froze up like ice statues. Seconds later, they shattered in an explosion of light, raining soft droplets of cool water over both of them.  
  
Miharu looked up through those raindrops at the woman, who knelt down to her, touching Miharu's face with a warm hand. Miharu couldn't help but recognise something in the woman that she hadn't noticed before. She reminded her of someone. Those eyes…  
  
"You should be careful," she said to Miharu, whom was startled by the sweet, angelic voice. "You have to be ready for the dangers, whatever form they come in."  
  
"Dangers? What do you mean?" Miharu asked.  
  
"You'll know, soon enough," and the soft hand left her face, with the woman standing, turning to walk away.  
  
Miharu watched her glide through the flowers with such unearthly perfection. The flowers seemed to part for her as she moved, making it seem more of an illusion.  
  
Miharu jumped up, and began to run after her. "Hey! Wait! I don't understand!"  
  
The woman didn't turn, but kept walking as the land around them began to glow a blinding white once again.  
  
"WAIT!" She shouted once again, reaching out, just as the world around her flashed and she was met by darkness.  
  
Miharu jumped, looking around quickly, realising she was sat now, hand reaching out into the darkness of her bedroom. She sighed and flopped back down on her bed, shuddering at the dampness of her nightshirt. She'd been sweating buckets.  
  
'What did she mean about dangers in different forms?' She thought while stifling a yawn. 'It's got to mean something…'  
  
She rolled onto her side, pulling the pillow against her face, closing her eyes.  
  
'Who was she anyway?' Her minded whispered in wonderment as she began to drift back to sleep.  
  
***  
  
Konoha straightened his tie before knocking on the door of his boss's office. He waited patiently for permission to enter.  
  
"Come!" Konoha jumped when hearing the loud, deep voice. He managed to keep the folder under his arm from slipping as he shuddered slightly, reaching for the handle of the door, opening it and stepping into the plush decorated room.  
  
The black leather seat behind the main desk was turned towards the large paned windows, overlooking the Tokyo streets below. The occupier of the seat was indeed infatuated within momentary silence, as he watched the little worker ants scurry far below.  
  
Konoha approached the centralised burgundy desk, licking dry lips, wondering whether or not to address his boss or wait for him to grant the permission to speak. With this man, nobody truly knew how anyone stood with him. Konoha found himself biting his lip, silence taking him as he glanced from the beautifully framed landscape pictures on the wall to the front of the desk, where a little plaque sat, adorned with gold writing, reading, 'G-Corporation CEO Kazuya Mishima.'  
  
The seat turned in a flash making the man in front of the desk involuntarily step back in fear. Kazuya turned somewhat amused eyes on his associate, but they were unseen behind the dark frames of his sunglasses. The chair let out a high pitched squeak as the older man shifted position on the finely upholstered leather.  
  
"What do you have for me, Konoha?" Kazuya asked as he rested back in the chair, with his hands pressed under his chin.  
  
Konoha stumbled on his words, trying to remember through the sudden strike of fear why he was there in the first place. He remembered and pulled the folder from under his arm and produced it in front of his boss.  
  
"You wanted me to find out more information about the girl in the café, sir," he said, putting the folder on the desk, pushing it forward, letting Kazuya take pick up the fairly heavy folder of extensive pages. "The girl in question is Miharu Hirano, an eighteen year old student from the Mishima High School. She lives with her father, Shinka Hirano, a business financier. Her mother, Jasumin Hirano died two years ago. From what we found from asking some of the Mishima High School students, that Miss Hirano has fair connections with Heihachi Mishima's estate, as she is a friend of fellow tournament member, Ling Xiaoyu, who lives at the Mishima residence. Nobody knows really why she entered the tournament, she never said. From information we got through the school files, it said one point she was listed for special needs and was tutored in her last year at junior high. You maybe interested to know that one of the students told us her tutor was none other than your son, Jin Kazama."  
  
Kazuya looked up from the long passages of writing in the folder, pretty much reading off in what Konoha had just recited but with a few more statistics on the pages, which displayed that of irrelevant exam scores and school reports. Konoha had really taken him seriously when asking him to find out as much as he could about this girl.  
  
Kazuya set the folder down on the desk. "Is there any other connections between this, Miharu Hirano and my son?"  
  
"We asked a few of the students discreetly if Miharu and Jin had any further connections beyond tutoring. Most said that Miharu didn't like him and was reluctantly letting Jin tutor her, and they had nothing really to do with each other. But some said that they had seemed to build some kind friendship, but it may have been more than that. They were all pretty unsure about them."  
  
Kazuya chuckled. "Somehow I don't think she was really THAT reluctant, the way she called his name when mistaking me for him back in that café."  
  
"Yes, I suppose so," Konoha said, clearing his throat. "You'll find the information we got on her is quite extensive."  
  
"I'm sure it will come to good use." Kazuya reached into a small pocket within the front of the folder and retrieved a small photo of Miharu, taken from the school's personal file.  
  
'Such an innocent face,' Kazuya thought, letting his thumb trail over the small printed Miharu. He smiled to himself and looked up at Konoha. "Excellent work. You've seemingly got me some useful information. You are excused now."  
  
"Thank you, sir," Konoha said as he bowed, stepping towards the door, which opened for him as Miss Safaia stepped in with a tray of coffee. She smiled at the departing man and headed towards the desk.  
  
Kazuya was still staring at the picture of Miharu as Miss Safaia set the tray down on his desk and picked up a cup and saucer, putting it down in front if her boss. She began pouring the hot coffee into the cup, but not before stealing a glance at the picture in his hand and smiling insidiously.  
  
"If you don't mind me saying, sir, she's a bit young to be your girlfriend," she said, the smile never leaving her face.  
  
He turned slowly to look at her sharply, making her smile wider. She picked up the sugar cube pot and presented it in front of him. "One lump or two?"  
  
***  
  
Miharu's head snapped up as the bell rang signally the end of school. She rubbed her tired eyes, covering up a yawn that threatened to escape her lips. The teacher prattled on about revision notes, which she half listened to as she packed her things away, making her way from the classroom as they were dismissed.  
  
Recently, she'd been having a few restless nights; monsters that seemed intent on seeing her destroyed, invaded her dreams nearly every night. But they never got the chance, because the mysterious woman in white would appear and make them disappear, always giving her the same message.  
  
"You have to be ready for the dangers, whatever form they come in."  
  
'What the heck does she mean?' Miharu thought, wincing as she stepped out into the sunlight, rubbing her eyes once again.  
  
Whispers picked up around her and she noticed that people's eyes followed her until she looked their way and they quickly turned, still making undertone comments. Miharu was baffled. It had started this morning with people whispering about her and watching her with somewhat intrigued eyes. She was curious to find out what was being said.  
  
Rubi caught her up, having not seen her all day. "Miharu, I'm so glad I've caught you. I need to talk to you."  
  
Miharu frowned. "Why?"  
  
Rubi looked about, then back to her. "Come on, let's go somewhere a little more private."  
  
Miharu silently agreed and followed Rubi back inside the school, following her down the winding corridors, right down to the far end of the institute where the gym halls were. Rubi pushed open the double doors into the locker rooms and hung a right to the girl's ones. Miharu entered and took a seat on the opposing bench to the doorway, head back on one of the steel doors of the dressing room lockers.  
  
"So, what you want to talk about?" Miharu asked.  
  
"You maybe wondering why everyone seems interested in you all of a sudden," Rubi said as she took a seat next to her friend.  
  
"Sure, I guess," Miharu said, looking down at her feet.  
  
"Well, yesterday after school, just after you'd gone, these men in suits started going around some of the departing students and asking questions. They were all about you… and some about you and Jin Kazama."  
  
Miharu's eyes widened and she suddenly sat forward. "Me and Jin!"  
  
Rubi nodded. "Yeah, they were asking whether you and him had had a special relationship, but people knew nothing. It does raise a lot of questions…"  
  
Miharu's head hung low and she bit her lip. This is not what she wanted to happen at all. Nobody was supposed to get suspicious. Who were those suited men anyway?  
  
"Miharu?" Rubi snapped Miharu back from thought. "Honestly, what was your relationship with Jin?"  
  
Miharu just stared at her, lips pressed tightly together as a fearful chill crept up her spine. After so long, could she actually tell someone that she had been dating him? Everything was laid out on the table against her. Could she deny the truth after two years of keeping the secret?  
  
She stood up slowly and began to pace the locker room. "Rubi… look, what I tell you now, mustn't leave this room. And you have to swear not to tell anybody, and I mean, not even the others."  
  
"Okay," Rubi said with a slight nod. "I promise."  
  
Miharu looked into her eyes for a few moments, seeing the truth within them. She sighed, turning her back as she spoke. "I hated him at first. I think everyone pretty much knew what I thought of him, and left it at that. Then he became my tutor and things changed…" She turned, finding the courage to meet Rubi's eyes. "… We found out we had so much in common and we ended up… falling in love with each other, and… we became lovers."  
  
There was a heavy silence as Rubi sat there, mouth a gape. Miharu shifted uncomfortably, waiting for Rubi to speak.  
  
It wasn't long before the girl found the words. "How long?"  
  
"Well, nearly two months, then he disappeared," Miharu said softly, looking down.  
  
"So, Hari was practically right when she thought something was going on between you," Rubi said and Miharu reluctantly nodded. "Wow, that's… really surprising news. I would have never guessed. You know, since Jin was such a recluse and all. Nobody truly knew him."  
  
"That's right, nobody did…" Miharu sat down again. "… And I started to find out… and then…"  
  
All the memories of pain began to flood back to her and she closed her eyes as the tears began to stream down her cheeks.  
  
"And then he disappeared and left me all alone. I felt abandoned after all the love I gave…" Miharu's voice shook with pain and she hunched over slightly, overwhelmed with the reopened wound in her heart. She missed him now more than ever, since he was around somewhere, she could feel it, and he wasn't even trying to contact her.  
  
"I'm so sorry," Rubi murmured, putting an arm around Miharu in comfort.  
  
"He promised to come back, Rubi. He promised me," she cried softly, desperately trying to wipe the tears away. "Damn it, I promised myself I wouldn't be emotional. Rubi, you're the only one I've told, and I've known Yumi, Mika and Xiaoyu longer. It means I put a lot of trust in you not to say anything to anyone unless I tell you to. Promise you won't tell; promise on your life you won't spread this around!"  
  
"I promise on my life, Miharu. I will stay loyal to the promise," Rubi said, hand over her heart.  
  
"Please keep this promise. I don't think I could handle another person breaking a promise to me," she whispered, head still low. 


	7. Chapter 6

Love Worth Fighting For  
  
By Indigo Siren  
  
Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
The calm was a heavenly touch. It something so serene, so blessing as the day began to fade away, melting liking running paint on canvas. The soft tones of oranges and pinks were dabbed in a pattern, over the horizon. Miharu stood watching the sunset on the hill of the park, with nobody in sight, with the feeling of having only the gentle breeze for company. It felt so different, the lulling bringing her a sense of peace for once, though she always found sunsets to be the slow descent of another day, with her heart wishing it would hurry and end so she could start a new day without feeling so heavy. But of course, she could never get rid of the feelings she had. But tonight, it felt different. For once, she loved the sunset, and she smiled to herself, admiring the beauty that seemed so far away.  
  
Her blue summer dress whipped around behind her as the wind picked up, and the soft rub of fabric on her legs was a reminder that she still existed there, still breathed through her thoughts of pain and loneliness.  
  
A sigh escaped her lips in a sense of longing and she folded her arms as coolness trailed up her dainty arms. The air suddenly become more crisp and alert that made everything stand to attention, watching and waiting. The whole world seemed to light up with life around Miharu, and she could suddenly feel the presence of another.  
  
She turned swiftly; eyes focused on the trees to one side of the park. Her jaw went slack, her mouth dropping open. First, she though her eyes were deceiving her, but after several moments of blinking, her mind started to believe. She took a step forward, her face lighting up slightly.  
  
Jin stood there. It was him, it just had to be. That face, that physique… She was sure this time. He just stood there watching her, eyes holding her in his sights, looking her over. She didn't know whether to run to him or not, whether to feel sad or happy to see him again after so long.  
  
Her hearted lurched as he turned and walked away into the thicket of the trees. And like a flash, she was running after him.  
  
"JIN! WAIT!" She called, brushing through the trees in pursuit.  
  
She came to a stop aside the band stand, and saw him standing on the steps, back to her. She was careful at first, walking slowly towards him, hands to her sides as she could feel a tingling of them wanting to reach out to him and touch his back, though she didn't know what he was feeling or how he would react to that.  
  
Why was she so unsure all of a sudden?  
  
"Jin?" She said softly, stopping a few metres behind him.  
  
He didn't turn to start with and she was afraid. She was about to say his name again, when he spun around, face completely void of emotion. Just staring at his face made Miharu's insides twist in fear.  
  
Fear of Jin? This was wrong. Miharu had taken a step back without knowing, but plucked up a little courage to at least reach out to him with a slight smile, maybe to ease things.  
  
"Jin…" She stepped in, hand out to his face, but stopped. The aura around him… was so icy cold. Her fingers seemed to twitch and go painfully numb. She pulled back, holding the now cold limb.  
  
His voice came deep and subtle. "You shouldn't keep looking for me. It just makes it harder then it should be."  
  
Miharu frowned, rubbing her hand. "What? Jin, I don't understand?"  
  
"We can't be together. I can't love you…" He took a slow breath. "I won't love you."  
  
The last four words were a shot straight to her heart and her knees gave up and she used the support of a tree to keep her standing. She couldn't believe what he was saying.  
  
"Why Jin? Why are you telling me this? After so long?" She asked, keeping the tears from her voice.  
  
"It was so obvious. You didn't listen to your instincts to carry on. You didn't have to wait for me," he said blatantly. "I didn't for you."  
  
Her eyes were streaming with crystal tears of pain. These words were like sharp stabs all over her body. It didn't make sense to her.  
  
"WHY DID YOU MOVE ON?" She shouted at him, her voice now slurred with weeping. "YOU RAN AWAY FROM EVERYONE! FROM ME! NEVER TO CONTACT US AND NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME THIS! AFTER EVERYTHING!"  
  
He just stood watching her cry, not making a move to comfort her or apologise. She thought she'd choke on her tears with the rush of agony that ran from her heart, all the way around her body.  
  
"Move on, Miharu." It had been the first time he had said her name, at there was no feeling behind it. "I have other things to deal with. Dangers you wouldn't understand. Love is the last thing I want to think of. As of now, we don't know each other."  
  
And with that, he walked around her and began to move back towards the trees. She was gasping for breath, as if he had punched her in the stomach. She looked up to him going and started after him.  
  
"NO JIN! PLEASE DON'T GO!" She cried.  
  
"I don't know you," he just said.  
  
She screamed at him to come back, but he did nothing but walk away, no longer acknowledging her. He was melting into the shadows of the woods now there was no sun to guide her.  
  
She was running after him again, though he was getting further away. She reached out long stretched arms.  
  
"JIN!" She screamed, her eyes closing, as the tears became overwhelming.  
  
Her voice echoed away and she opened her eyes to complete darkness, her body wrapped up tight and she jumped, crying out Jin's name. She was falling all of a sudden and hit the ground with a heavy thud. But it wasn't grass or wood shavings that she landed on; it was soft carpeting. She struggled up as she gripped to the mass that was wrapped around her.  
  
They were blankets. She held them tighter, looking around her room nervously.  
  
It had been a dream. Another dream, but this had been so different from the others. The woman in white had been the first to invade her dreams for a while, and ever since talking to Rubi, her dreams had been so different, so dark. But tonight, had been the first night Jin had appeared like that, and had acted so coldly towards her.  
  
She slumped on the bed, crying softly into the ruffled blankets.  
  
"No, Jin, come back… come back…" She whispered breathlessly, as the tears soaked into the blankets against her cheek.  
  
Each breath she took sent a shudder up her spine, and she curled up into a tight ball, as small as she could. It was strange all of sudden. Why could smell Jin's scent against her blankets and tingling over the skin of her arms and face?  
  
She fell asleep; feeling that he had been there, even if only for a moment, though the thought of it had her slightly scared.  
  
***  
  
"See you guys later," Yamaki called to his friends as he left them in the middle of the town centre, making his way home from soccer practice. He whistled, refreshed and happy after a friendly game they had been playing.  
  
He saw the ice cream truck ahead and brightened up more. It had been a while since he had had an ice cream. He dug into his pockets of pulled out some spare change and ran towards the now shortening queue. It wasn't long before he was served and he ordered a vanilla cone. He gratefully took it and licked at the sweet creamy treat, thankful for the coolness against the hot day.  
  
He froze up suddenly. He almost dropped the cone when he saw Miharu sat on a wall just across from him, licking an ice cream of her own.  
  
He felt ecstatic now. His day was just getting better and better.  
  
"Hi, Miharu," he greeted as he walked towards where she was sat.  
  
She looked up at him, pausing for a second just to faintly smile at him. "Hi."  
  
Yamaki noticed she looked rather pale. Her expression was one of sadness. He felt the need to snap her out of this depressed form.  
  
"It's a pretty nice day, don't you think?" He said.  
  
"Hmm, it's okay," she replied, licking a drip that had threatened to run down the side of the cone.  
  
He sat beside her. "Did you hear that Amai Youdou from Miss Ai's class is having a party next week? She lives in a really cool house, you know, the big one near the Mishima mansion. Everyone is going to it. I hear it'll be a blast."  
  
"Probably will, but I'm not going," Miharu said, looking at her ice cream rather then at Yamaki.  
  
"Aww, why not?" He asked her.  
  
"Well, for a fact, everyone knows that Amai is such a drama queen and everyone will only be going since she has a swimming pool. Nobody really likes her, so I'm not going to pretend for one minute just to eat her food and swim in her weedy pool."  
  
Yamaki blinked then nervously laughed. "I think Amai is alright. Not too bad a girl."  
  
"Yeah, it's because she fancies you," Miharu said.  
  
Yamaki was surprised at that. He was hoping to think Miharu was jealous, but she lacked emotion towards him and it seemed totally unlikely. He sighed.  
  
"You okay, Miharu?" He decided to ask.  
  
She sighed, and finally looked at him. "Had a rough time these past few nights."  
  
"The tournament getting you down?" He licked at his ice cream as he spoke.  
  
She thought about it for a moment. "I guess so."  
  
"Hey, if you want, we could go for a walk around the water gardens," he grinned sheepishly. "May take your mind off things and cheer you up."  
  
She sighed softly and gave him an apologetic smile. "Thanks for the offer, but right now, I would like to be alone. I've got a lot of thinking to do. Maybe we could do it after school someday, I've been meaning to go in a while."  
  
Though sad she wouldn't go with him then, but it brightened him up to hear she'd go with him another time.  
  
"Okay, sure, I'll leave you to your thoughts," he said, jumping down from the wall. "See you at school."  
  
"Yeah, bye." She waved him off as he returned on his journey home.  
  
She groaned inwardly. Yamaki was okay, but he was the last person she needed around her right now. As a matter of fact, she needed very little interaction with men altogether while she felt this bad. After her dream, no, nightmare last night, she was edgy and still thoughtful about Jin, the man who had become her one true love.  
  
She finished off her ice cream cone and sat, looking up at the clear blue sky. The sun was bright, and it was a nice warm day, with everyone so cheery around her. Nope, it didn't make her feel any better. She condemned these emotions for ruining her life. Was love seriously worth all this?  
  
"Hey, is that Miharu? Hey it is!"  
  
Miharu blinked and looked down to Julia Chang waving up at her and she smiled, hoping down to join the older girl. Behind Julia, Lei Wulong stood, checking through his many shopping bags, just a few less then Julia had.  
  
The American girl beamed. "It's nice to see you again."  
  
Miharu did her best to match her smile, trying not to seem glum. "Yeah, it's weird to see you out and about in Tokyo."  
  
"You know, doing some shopping," she said. "Lei brought me out, being my bodyguard. Though I don't see why."  
  
The Chinese man looked up with a grin at Julia. "Couldn't let you wander around alone."  
  
She rolled her eyes and laughed. "I'm a big girl, don't you know? And I can clearly kick butt just as good as you, or any other hot bodied man!"  
  
He blushed slightly. "Yeah I know that. Besides, I wanted to do some shopping too."  
  
"A man who likes to shop, that's a new one," Julia commented and turned back to Miharu. "I just came out to pick up a few supplies and get some new clothes. We've just finished up, and we were about to head to Xiaoyu's match. Thought you'd have been there?"  
  
Miharu eyes widened. "XIAOYU'S MATCH! OH NO! I totally forgot!"  
  
Lei finally managed to get a grip on all his bags, looking at Miharu with a raised eyebrow. "How could you forget her match? She's up against that hairy beast, Craig Marduck."  
  
Miharu cringed. "I've had a lot on my mind. Xiaoyu will kill me if I miss her match! It's her first official one since the preliminaries."  
  
"One of the first to go up," Julia commented. "You haven't had yours yet?"  
  
"No, but it says I'm going to go up against someone called Christie Monteiro." Miharu remembered from reading the match ups recently.  
  
"We'd better cut the chatter if we want to get to the match," Lei said. "Shall we go, ladies?"  
  
"Yeah, of course," Julia said, and touched the Japanese girl's shoulder. "Come on, Miharu, hitch a lift with us. We'll get there before the match ends."  
  
"Alright." Miharu didn't protest and hurriedly followed them back to their rental car.  
  
***  
  
With their competitors passes, the three instantly got in and headed straight for the open front row tier, which was clear for high paying ticket holders and people who had special passes. Miharu grabbed a seat and almost jumped as the big hair competitor known as Marduck crashed against the barrier.  
  
"Woah! What a move, and from such a little bean pole!" Someone shouted out.  
  
Miharu peered around the sweating mass, to see Xiaoyu in stance, breathing hard and wiping the sweat from her brow. She was covered in sand from the ground, showing she'd had a rough ride so far and a little bit of blood had trickled from her nose. This was looking to be hard work for the Chinese girl.  
  
Marduck was already moving again, growling loudly and swearing in a thick American accent. Miharu was completely taken back by the size of Craig Marduck. He was a huge mammoth. A woolly mammoth at that! His physique was intimidating and his height rivalled that of Panda and Kuma. Scarily inhuman!  
  
Miharu worried that Xiaoyu wouldn't have a chance against this brute. But of course, she didn't want to not have faith in her friend. She knew she could get the job done if she did the right moves.  
  
Marduck began to circle around her, but she instinctually moved to stay out of striking range. He was looking for a weakness, yet Xiaoyu wasn't willing to show one, keeping an eye on his actions so she could at least evade a heavy attack.  
  
His attack came like lightning, and would have been missed if you blinked. But Xiaoyu was ready. His arm swung like a lump hammer at her head, but she dropped and rolled out of the way, coming back up to his side. If it had hit, it would have surely taken off her head.   
  
She didn't anticipate his hand spinning and grabbing her hair and swinging her around 180 degrees. The release and the power were a force to be reckoned with and she was sent crashing down face first onto the sandy floor.  
  
Marduck roared, pumping the crowd up even more, now on their feet and screaming in bliss of the action. Miharu had pretty much forgot all her troubles as she got into the match, she herself standing in worry.  
  
"NO! XIAO! GET UP!" She cried out.  
  
Xiaoyu groaned and began to get up on her hands and knees, trying to get some air back into her lungs. She looked up to Miharu, who was shouting in her support, a worried look plastered to her face. She spat sand from her mouth, growling to herself. She knew she couldn't let this monster of a man beat her.  
  
Jumping at a roar, she found herself in the path of another one of his attacks, his form looming over her as he dived towards her. With little and no time to think she launched herself into a 'California roll' and thrust her legs up to catch him straight under the chin, knocking him onto his back. She landed, barely hopping over a low attack as he tried to catch her off guard.  
  
Miharu cheered. "Way to go, Xiao!"  
  
Xiaoyu backed away from the hulking mass as he began to scramble to get back to his feet. She had to change her tactics, as her strength would no way match his and her punishment had little or no effect on him. She needed to be able to incapacitate him.  
  
It finally struck her. He was so much taller then her and relied on that much. She had to take out his vertical base. She glimpsed down at his knees, her new point of attack. She waited on his decision to attack. His incoming would give her the chance she needed. She cheekily grinned at him as he rubbed a sore jaw.  
  
He wiped a fair amount of spittle away, and growled. "You'll pay for that!"  
  
He charged at her, ready to tackle her down to the ground. She surprised him by charging at him too, even more so by baseball sliding past him, hooking her arm around to strike his knee hard. His stumbled and fell forward.  
  
"You little bitch!" He cried out, trying to ignore the pain running through his kneecap and the joint.  
  
She got up, dusting down her side and watched him get up slower this time then before. She was sure her tactics would work well in her favour. Wasting no time, she shifted into her 'Rain Dance' stance and hopped backwards. He looked up just in time to see her push herself over forwards into a 'Monkey Flip' and struck both feet against the knee. She got up as she heard him land roughly behind her. She turned and grinned, casting a glance to Miharu, to say she'd got this one in the bag. Miharu gave her the thumbs up.  
  
Xiaoyu went in and relentlessly attacked his damaged knee. She performed the 'Flapping Wings', aggravating the injury so it took him longer to get back up. She went in for low kicks, aiming at both knees. He was struggling to stop her attack, also trying to protect his knees.  
  
This mammoth man didn't look so big to her now.   
  
She went into the 'Front Layout', dropping her whole body weight straight onto his right knee. He roared, swearing at her as he tried to make a grab for her, but in his position, she was too fast for him. He'd managed to roll onto his front and was pushing himself up, just as Xiaoyu dropped into the 'Phoenix Stance', watching and waiting till his knee was position just off the ground. And suddenly, there was her chance and she dropped back into the 'Firecracker', legs cutting across the sand and at his knee. That's when she heard the loud pop and he was down, in complete agony. He didn't get up after that.  
  
She got back up, worn out completely.  
  
"Ling Xiaoyu wins!" Came the announcement, and Xiaoyu stretched her arms over her head, mumbling something in Japanese.  
  
***  
  
Xiaoyu had showered and changed, only coming out with a few bumps and bruises, now covered up under a soft fleece jacket, over her pink dress. She stepped out to be greeted by Miharu, Lei and Julia.  
  
"That was brutal!" Julia said. "We missed the beginning but it looked as if you had taken a beating."  
  
"I got too headstrong at the beginning of the match," Xiaoyu admitted. "But it seems we traded places. How is Mr. Marduck?"  
  
"They are taking him to the hospital," Lei told her. "You really roughed up his knee."  
  
"Well, he wouldn't have stayed down if I hadn't of hit him hard," Xiaoyu said as she rubbed a sore arm.  
  
"Well, I thought it was great tactics," Miharu complimented. "Well done on your victory, Xiao."  
  
Xiaoyu hugged her friend. "Thanks, Miharu. What do you say we all go out for something to eat, to celebrate? I really need some chow."  
  
"Yeah, that sounds good," Julia agreed.  
  
"Count me in!" Lei said pretty much thrilled with the idea of stuffing his face. Julia elbowed him and he just laughed.  
  
"Okay, I guess I can stomach some things," Miharu said. "Not been feeling too great lately."  
  
"Well, take it easy, Miharu," Xiaoyu said, patting her shoulder. "You've got a match to win soon."  
  
"True." Miharu hooked arms with Xiaoyu and the group walked through the back area, making their way towards the car park.  
  
Miharu listened to Xiaoyu talk about the match and how she thought she'd lose to Marduck, when her attention was caught by a hooded man up ahead. He looked their way only for a second and disappeared. Miharu blinked, quickening the pace and looking through the door he had left through. He was nowhere to be seen.  
  
'Jin…' Her mind whispered. 


	8. Chapter 7

Love Worth Fighting For  
  
By Indigo Siren  
  
Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.  
  
Chapter 7  
  
The huge crowd was chanting long and loud, dying to see the fight they'd paid especially for. The bout involved two women going at it, enough to make the men hoot and call to urge it on. Everyone was growing restless as security crews and people dealing with the technical aspect were still setting up for the match. Slow work so far, but well worth it.  
  
In the locker room, Xiaoyu was sitting, listening to the voices echoing through the vents from the audience. She turned to Miharu, whom was obviously trying to ignore it, adjusting her glove for probably the third time, fingers wriggling and shaking, looking for more comfort that couldn't be given.  
  
"Ease up, Miharu," Xiaoyu soothed, patting her shoulder.  
  
Miharu lifted her head to the look of confidence emanating from her friend's eyes. It was supporting but didn't assure her that she'd truly walk out of this bout victorious and with her head intact. Miharu sighed and finally stood. This meant everything to her; she just had to buck up the courage…  
  
"I guess I'll never be more ready in my entire life," she said, biting her lip as the tension mounted within her.  
  
Xiaoyu clamped a hand to her shoulder and smiled with an expression full of faith. "You're going to win, Miharu. You're one of the best fighters here. I've seen you work at your moves. You have the power, the speed and the agility to win. The preliminaries proved that. You just have to believe you can win. I may have taught you, but it takes a true spirit to have the power you do."  
  
Miharu faced Xiaoyu, fists clenched up to her chest. "I believe I can win. I know I will win… are you sure I'll win?"  
  
Xiaoyu nodded, being as sure as she could be. "Yeah, this Christie Monteiro girl is going to be a walk over."  
  
"I hope so…" Miharu breathed out a long sigh.  
  
A member of the staff stuck her head around the door. "Miharu Hirano, it's time."  
  
Looking at the woman, Miharu almost felt faint. Her message was the beginning of her walk into battle. She had to face it, the only way to be strong and get her answers in the end.  
  
"Alright," she said and began to walk for the door.  
  
"Good luck," Xiaoyu called behind her. "I'll be in the stands cheering you on!"  
  
"Thanks, Xiao." And the Japanese girl trudged onwards to face her upcoming battle.  
  
***  
  
The crowd was huge; a much bigger attendance then there was at the preliminaries. She'd been, at one point, part of the crowd, but having to stand out there and face it as she fought was a completely different thing. She took in a deep breath and walked out, the roar of the crowd picking up to her entrance.  
  
She scanned about at the people in the stands, looking for Xiaoyu. Easily enough, she spotted her sat with Lei Wulong and Julia Chang. She waved to Xiaoyu and walked out into the central part of the arena floor. Her skin prickled as she felt all the people watching her. Her black nylon mid-drift top and biker shorts began to itch under the intensity. She ignored it, putting it all down to her nervous imagination.  
  
Stepping into the inner circle she scanned the space for opponent. Surely enough, there she was, talking to some officials at the side near the stands. Miharu's jaw dropped. It was that busty woman with the burgundy hair. So now she knew who Christie Monteiro was. Her attire was defiantly something she used to get the men gawking. She proudly sported a thin strapped bikini top, decorated by bright, shiny sequins and a pair of flared, holographic purple bottoms.  
  
'That's not a fighting outfit,' Miharu thought. 'That's something you wear when you cheaply sell your body…'  
  
She cringed and turned to do some warm ups, casting brief glances up at Christie whom had turned her attentions to someone in the stands, the officials now doing other things. Fiery red hair from the man she was talking to told her it was the punk, Hwoarang. She was flirting like crazy with him and he was touching her as much as possible, giving her encouragement. She exchanged a kiss with plenty of tongue before she reluctantly departed his company to approach Miharu. The Japanese girl gagged slightly, but just decided that it was best not to think about it.  
  
Christie swung her hair over her shoulder as she approached, smiling so irritating and perfect like. "So you're my opponent! I'll have to take it easy on you."  
  
"You don't have to, I won't do the same for you," Miharu merely said, still stretching herself out.  
  
Christie frowned. "Yeah, whatever, just prepare yourself for a beating."  
  
"Oh, I will," Miharu said, still not properly facing the other girl.  
  
Christie just let out a groan, seeing she couldn't aggravate her opponent and went to her side, doing some stretches of her own.  
  
The officials read over the rules as both women stretched out properly. They wished them luck and departed the fighting area, with only the two of them left, facing each other. Christie glared harshly, a small heartless smile appearing on her lips. Miharu just stayed blank faced.  
  
The broadcasting system came to life. "Welcome to today's match of Miharu Hirano versus Christie Monteiro! Are you ready?"  
  
The crowd's cheers picked up, the whole arena buzzing in anticipation.  
  
"Here we go!" Christie said grinning, doing a gunshot like motion at Miharu, who just ignored it and bowed respectfully.  
  
"Fight!"  
  
It didn't start off as quickly as expected as the girls just began to circle each other carefully, eyeing up their competition. Miharu kept up her guard, knowing somehow that this Christie Monteiro girl might not exactly be a walk over if she got this far.  
  
"Sorry to break it to you, but I've got to hurt you to win," Christie jeered and charged with incredible speed.  
  
Miharu had never seen it coming and didn't have chance to side step as the girl launched herself up from low and drove her elbow against Miharu's face. Miharu stifled a cry and felt herself leave the ground. She quickly regained her senses to twist her body in mid air and land carefully, going down to one knee. She rubbed her cheek, narrowing her eyes at the Brazilian girl, who was chuckling.  
  
"Sorry, did that hurt?" Christie laughed through her mocking.  
  
Miharu retaliated, leaping up with an uppercut that snapped under the girl's chin. Christie staggered backwards, regaining her balance so she wouldn't fall down. She grabbed her jaw and growled.  
  
"I'll make you pay for that one," she sneered.  
  
"Come on, milking it with your sweet talk isn't going to buy you time," Miharu snapped and leapt into a kick at Christie.  
  
The other girl dropped backwards so that she was sitting propped up on her hands. Miharu went straight over her and landed on the sandy ground, rolling over and getting back up quick sharp as Christie pushed herself up into a 'Helicopter' like move.  
  
Miharu frowned but gasped as one of those deadly feet of Christie's struck her chest. She backed off as her opponent moved carefully on her hands, spinning those long deadly legs in an attempt to lay a hit on her again. Miharu stayed out of striking range and rubbed the afflicted area. She'd seen these moves before done by Eddy Gordo at the last tournament. She knew what to expect after watching one of his matches, and for a fact, Christie wasn't going to be an easy opponent to beat with the Capoeira style at her disposal.  
  
The Brazilian flipped back onto her feet and smirked. Miharu matched the smirk and charged at her.  
  
***  
  
Xiaoyu winced as the two clashed, gripping her seat as finally constant blows were being exchanged between the two. Christie had started off with the blocking, but seemed a bit more inclined to throw the punches. Miharu had much more affective blocking and slowly backed up to ease up the blows effect, picking the right moments to catch her off guard with her own hits.  
  
The Chinese girl cheered. "YOU GO MIHARU!"  
  
"That Christie sure is a spitfire," Lei remarked, digging into his pre-match bought food.  
  
"I think that Monteiro girl will lose," Julia commented. "Judging by the way she has performed so far, I think her arrogance will get the best of her."  
  
"I agree," a voice came from next to Xiaoyu and she jumped, smiling.  
  
"King! It's a surprise to see you again!" She greeted, hugging his arm as he sat down.  
  
"And to see you too, Xiaoyu," the Mexican wrestler said, patting her hand that was carefully wrapped around his arm. He looked up towards the two opponents now circling each other once again. "Is that your friend out there?" He pointed to the auburn-haired one.  
  
Xiaoyu nodded. "Yeah. I helped train her. She's a really good fighter."  
  
"By her posture and attitude, I'd have to agree there. She'd be a worthy advisory. Too bad she's been put up against someone like Christie Monteiro, who has more cleavage then brains."  
  
Lei spluttered out some of his food, laughing hard at King's comment.  
  
Julia cringed. "Lei, that's disgusting."  
  
The Chinese man wiped his mouth, trying to hide the grin. "Sorry about that."  
  
Xiaoyu was giggling at the older man and turned her attention back to Miharu, who was now showing off some of her great offensive skills.  
  
***  
  
Christie had to leap out of the way of the incoming 'Storming Flower'; the thrust of the ki-powered palm was powerful enough that it would have been a devastating move. She growled and tried to roundhouse kick Miharu, whom ducked, going into the 'Road Sweeper' side-stepping kick. Christie tripped but put a hand down to stop her fall, pushing back up, only to walk into the 'Butter the Bread' uppercut that sent her onto her back, a rush of air leaving her lungs.  
  
Miharu backed off a step, keeping up her guard just in case Christie tried to surprise her.  
  
The Brazilian only laid startled for a moment, before pushing herself up with a flip, letting out a enraged cry and tackling Miharu down. The Japanese girl tumbled backwards with the girls weight pinning and put up hands to protect her face as her opponent sent vicious fists her way.  
  
One or two successful fists managed to clip Miharu's face and she cried out, making a grab at the next incoming fist. Christie yelped in shock, trying to pry her hand free from the girl's grip and cried out frustrated, launching her other fist at her, only to have repeat performance. Both hands locked, she couldn't hit her.  
  
"GET OFF ME!" Miharu yelled, pushing against those fists and sending Christie off her. Miharu back rolled up and went in for a 'Step in' kick, which Christie quickly blocked. On doing so, Miharu forced herself to leap at her, pressing her weight behind her feet as she back launched herself off Christie with a somersault, evidently breaking her guard and making her fall back onto her rear.  
  
The crowd was surprised with that move and directed their laughter at the now embarrassed Christie Monteiro.  
  
She flushed, fuming. "YOU WON'T GET OFF LIGHTLY, YOU LITTLE BITCH!"  
  
Miharu began to charge Christie's way, her aim to go into a baseball slide, but she didn't expect to be intercepted as the girl rolled up and dived into her. The impact to her midsection was tremendous, throwing her across the sandy ground, scrapping any exposed skin. She cried out, rolling onto her side to relieve the burning sensation.  
  
***  
  
"GET UP MIHARU!" Xiaoyu yelled, suddenly on her feet.  
  
"That was a nasty move," King said. "I don't think she expected that one coming. Christie isn't as bad a fighter as we thought."  
  
Xiaoyu stomped her foot. "That won't stop Miharu." She leaned over the banister. "COME ON MIHARU, IT TAKES MORE THAN THAT TO KEEP YOU DOWN! YOU'RE BETTER THAN THAT!"  
  
"She needs support, but take it easy," Julia said and the Chinese girl flopped back into her seat. "If Lei gives you some candy, will you calm down?"  
  
"Hey!" Lei protested.  
  
Xiaoyu's eyes lit up. "You say candy?"  
  
Lei covered his face and reluctantly handed over a candy bar to the hungry little Chinese pixie girl.  
  
"KEEP IT UP CHRISTIE! YOU'VE GOT THE MATCH IN THE BAG!"  
  
"I see she has her own one man fan club." Julia sarcastically pointed out Hwoarang whom was across the other side of the arena, belting out his support like a lunatic.  
  
"Forget Hwoarang, he's just with her because she has big breasts," Xiaoyu said, in-between munching on the candy bar at hand. "I could have breasts that big if I shoved watermelons in my top too."  
  
The group laughed, but stopped when they saw Christie kick Miharu in the back as she was getting up, sending her across the sandy ground.  
  
"If I could, I'd jump in there and show Christie a thing or two!" Xiaoyu seethed.  
  
"Calm, Xiao. Go get some more candy bars. I'm sure Miharu will pull off a win easily. Let's not doubt her," Julia said.  
  
Xiaoyu sighed. "You're right." She turned in her seat looking up the aisles for people carrying refreshment trays. She scanned about, disgruntled not to see one first off.  
  
Her scanning eyes stopped their search when she found someone whom she took more interesting to look at, half hidden by shadows in the upper stand. Her eyes were wide, unbelieving.  
  
'Could it be… but…' Her mind couldn't register whom she was seeing  
  
***  
  
"Hey, d'ya hurt yourself?"  
  
Miharu got up to her knees, angry with Christie for taunting her so dishonourably. She looked over her shoulder at the smirking face of the Brazilian, whom leaned over with a hand on her knee, looking completely cocky. Christie beckoned her with a finger to get up, all the more mocking. Miharu's eyes narrowed to thin slits.  
  
"You should watch your mouth… it might get you into trouble one day," Miharu warned.  
  
Christie just chuckled. "Oh, and what would you do about it?"  
  
"This…" Miharu 'California' rolled backwards and raised into the 'Mistrust' kick, connecting squarely under Christie's jaw, picking her up off the ground. Miharu side rolled out of the way as the surprised Christie landed with a heavy thud, crying out.  
  
Miharu decided it was her turn to taunt, and give Christie as taste of her own medicine. She turned with half her back to the girl and slapped her posterior, laughing at her. Christie instantly took offence and staggered up, swaying, ignoring the pain in her head.   
  
She was the one who would be dishing out the taunts, in no way planning to lay there and take anything from Miharu.  
  
"Don't you dare do that to me again!" Christie threw a kick at Miharu, who dropped down under it into the 'Phoenix stance'. The Brazilian was disoriented and at first didn't notice that the girl had dropped downwards. She took a step back, confused with where she could be. When she did see her, she jumped, scowling hard. She didn't hesitate to go in for the attack.  
  
'Just as I thought,' Miharu regarded and decided to go in for her attack as well.  
  
Christie quickly dropped, pushing down onto one hand, her leg coming over her head, while underneath her position, Miharu pushed her weight backwards onto a hand and performed a corkscrew upwards with her feet. The three spinning kicks from the 'Phoenix talon' attack connected against Christie's head, but not before her kick cracked Miharu over the top of her skull. Christie was lifted up, twisting in the air, before landing roughly on the ground. Miharu fell back, but quickly rolled up. She struggled with her balance, literally seeing stars.  
  
She blinked, hoping to clear her foggy vision, standing very still on uneasy feet, waiting to see if Christie would get back up. The girl on the floor shifted and moaned, but didn't bother to get up again. Miharu sighed with relief, worried now that she was seeing grey dots flicker over her vision, but she kept standing nonetheless.  
  
An official went over to check Christie. When they were sure she was out, they signalled up for the end of the match.  
  
"Miharu Hirano wins!"  
  
The crowd went ballistic, and Miharu smiled tiredly, excited she'd won.  
  
"I won… I really won!" She cried, hands in the air, turning to where Xiaoyu was in the stand. "Xiao! I won! I won! I…"  
  
The world spun into a black abyss and Miharu collapsed.  
  
***  
  
Tapping of soft feet against the pavement, seeming nothing unusual. But listening to them of her own accord, she became slightly disorientated. It didn't seem right…  
  
Her echoing footsteps stopped, her body freezing up. She had been walking for a short while, thinking about problems as she usually did, how life was… well, was she?  
  
Miharu stood there in the middle of a street, confused. She wasn't supposed to be walking anywhere. She was supposed to be at a fight… or had she been?  
  
The only thoughts running through her head were about failing schoolwork, no love life and her mother's disapproval. But, her mother… no… her mother was dead…  
  
She had a sudden notion to check her bag, digging through with a sense of uncertainty. She finally dug out two sheets of paper, staring at them surprised. Two low scored test papers, one English and the other maths. Her eyes widened.  
  
They were dated two years ago…  
  
Then she knew… this was the past.   
  
But why was she here?  
  
She stuffed the papers back in her bag, walking along thoughtfully, looking around at people cycling home past her from school. She remembered these people, all looking two years younger. So strange…  
  
She looked up at the sky as she felt drops of rain tickle over her uniform and dripped finely down her cheeks.  
  
"Great, I didn't even bring an umbrella," she murmured, remembering saying exactly that two years ago.  
  
She sighed and closed her eyes, carefully stepping out into the road. Something was nagging her… something had happened that day more then the bad tests, but what?  
  
A loud honking noise sounded as she crossed into the middle of the road.   
  
Now she remembered…  
  
… The truck that threatened to run her down.  
  
This time, she didn't scream when turning to look at it, instead just staring as if it wasn't real. She turned to look around for Jin, as he saved her last time. He was nowhere to be seen.  
  
"He's not here for you anymore…" Her heart whispered and she kept tearful eyes shut, arms stretched out, accepting fate… waiting to die.  
  
She felt a force impact against her, a deadly slap that sent her falling. Instead of concrete however, she felt soft, wet grass on her back. She gasped, opening her eyes, thrashing as she sat up, greeted by the continuing beating of the rain, now falling from a glittering night sky.  
  
Looking around, she found herself on her favourite hillside at the park. She shuddered, curling her arms around her frame. It was so cold…  
  
She turned when she heard voices coming up the long path, running feet trying to beat the falling raindrops.  
  
Two people were desperate to escape the rain, the girl squeaking as the long streaks of cold water soaked into her shimmering dress.   
  
Miharu paused. She recognised that dress… that very silver, but she was unsure somehow…  
  
She looked up at the face of the man who was covering up the smaller girl and she gasped.  
  
It was Jin! And he was with another girl!  
  
She got up quickly, and started towards them as they headed into the wooded part, looking for cover. She caught a glimpse of the girl's face and almost fell onto the sodden grass.  
  
'No way…' Her mind wouldn't let it process and she was running after them, pushing past the long tree branches and into the open area near the bandstand. She stood openly in the rain, as they went under cover, face pale and confused.  
  
Jin took a seat away from the girl, who turned out to be none other, then a sixteen-year-old version of herself.  
  
"It's me," she whispered. "It's… another memory, or something…"  
  
She approached them, her feet shaky, everything slowly coming back to her.  
  
"I'm a mess," her counterpart said, slapping her hands on the stone of bench undercover. "It had to happen while we were on a date! This is so typical. The last time we get to see each other this way for a while and the weather goes against us."  
  
'My last date with Jin…' Miharu remembered, lips trembling with sadness.  
  
"Rain isn't going to ruin my date with you," Jin said, wrapping his arms over the girl's shoulders and she instantly huddled against him. He kissed her wet hair, holding her tenderly there. "Though there's rain, this date is still perfect… as long as you're here with me."  
  
"You're so sweet," she answered him.  
  
Miharu backed up slowly, staring at the past scene in front of her eyes, tears beginning to well in her eyes and spilling as she watched them kiss with a passion that seemed it could never be matched.  
  
She turned, choking on a whimper within her throat. She remembered it all clearly. Her last embrace within his arms, which just felt all so bitter now with a broken promise. She covered her mouth, the sobs escaping her lips, no longer able to hold them back. She cried, not afraid to be heard, though she knew she truly couldn't be seen there.  
  
Arms carefully encircled her shoulders and she jumped, pressing back against the figure standing there.  
  
"J-Jin…" She stammered.  
  
The past version of her boyfriend stood encasing her in his warmth, no sign of her younger self anywhere.  
  
"Why do you cry?" He asked.  
  
She sniffled slightly, looking down at the ground.  
  
"Because I'm alone…" She whispered.  
  
"You're never alone, you have your friends there for you…" His breath tickled her ear as he pressed her face to her wet hair. "… And I'll always be in your heart."  
  
She shuddered, turning to face him. "I'm so confused. Why am I here? Why must I be tortured by these memories? One minute I'm loved, the next I'm hated, then loved all over again. Why?"  
  
He just kept smiling at her, though he heard her words laced with a heart wrenching sadness. "We dream things for a reason. Hidden messages there to guide us, and sometimes warn us. You see me because you want to remind yourself not to forget the good times. Even though you get messages that may hurt you, you still fight to see the good of it all."  
  
"I'm just hurting myself more," she sobbed.  
  
He held her tighter. "No, you aren't. Memories and dreams can never hurt you."  
  
"But life can…" She shook, reaching up carefully to touch the arms that enfolded around her. So warm and soft. So real. "… And now I can only bring you to me in my dreams…"  
  
"And I will always come," he said.  
  
She turned around in his arms, looking into his handsome face, trying to search for answers, and wondering if he'd turn on her like in the other dream she had. But he was calm, and peaceful, with kind eyes looking her over. She wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling herself against his warm body once more, more crystal tears appearing in her eyes.  
  
"Then, if I can only truly find your love and embrace within my dreams, then I never want to wake up." She cried softly against his chest and he ran gentle fingers through her hair soothingly.  
  
"We all have to wake up eventually, and you will face life again, with or without me…" He said.  
  
She looked up, eyes streaming. "Will you be there for me when I awake? Please tell me you will. I can't face the world alone."  
  
He finally looked sad, touching her wet cheeks. "I don't know."  
  
She cried once more. "I'm scared. I don't want you to go away…"  
  
"As long as you keep my close, I never truly will," he answered, kissing her salty, tear stained cheeks, finally bringing those soft lips of his to hers.  
  
She could taste her own bitter tears pressed to her the edge of the mouth from his, but she didn't care, as long as she could taste his warm mouth to hers, nothing else mattered in the world. Right there and then, with time being none existent, she was lost in the sweet embrace that she dreamed for. It felt so real, his arms pressing her close as he dipped her backwards and tongues finally clashed in long yearned passion.  
  
She could pretend, if only for a moment that he was really there, and she grabbed as his hair, soft tresses grasped between her delicate fingers, bruising her mouth to his with the pressure she laid on him. He was never deterred from her need, submitting to what she wanted.   
  
She began to feel light headed, finally parting, and staring into his eyes. He smiled at her and leaned in and kissed her forehead.  
  
"I will always love you," he told her sincerely.  
  
She whimpered, her whole body becoming limp in his arms. The world around her began to fade through a glowing brightness, and she tried her best to cling to him, but he felt like he was melting away from her, disappearing.  
  
"Please don't go…" She uttered softly, feeling she was weakening.  
  
The world was becoming enveloped by white and she was reaching out for him to stay with her. He still smiled, his hands taking hers, whispering something that was taken away in the wind. Finally, his hand melted away from hers too and he was suddenly gone with the bright light.  
  
"No… Jin…" She barely was able to say as she felt herself falling in a spiral, closing her eyes from the blinding light.  
  
"Miharu?"  
  
She was listening to the echoing voice that surrounded her, trying to reach out for support. Her mind was just an endless chasm of uncertainty, with nothing to grab onto. But finally, that echoing voice was wrapping her up, pulling her back.  
  
"Miharu?" The voice finally became recognisable, so sweet and feminine.  
  
She opened her eyes slowly, the white beginning to fade, and a new place beginning to form. Where was she now?  
  
A blue painted ceiling, the colour of a bright morning on a summer's day, a bright white light in the centre, seeming to represent the sun. She tilted her head away from that blinding light and looked at the anxious face leaning over her.  
  
"Xiaoyu?" She finally made out, her voice properly returning.  
  
She was back where she should have been. In the present, real world.  
  
"I'm glad to see you finally woke up, sleepy head," Xiaoyu said, smiling. "You were out for a good half hour. Christie really did kick you hard."  
  
"Where am I?" Miharu asked, uncertain of the new surroundings. Last thing she remembered was an arena full of people and sandy floors, now, she was somewhere quiet and secluded.  
  
"You're in the medical room in the locker room area," Xiaoyu explained. "The EMT's said you weren't badly hurt. They gave you something in a needle and they left you here to wake up."  
  
Miharu finally noticed the pang in her arm and winced. Okay, that explained that.  
  
"Where's Lei and Julia?" Miharu asked.  
  
"They came with me to watch you here, but Julia had to go meet a college friend about her project and Lei was running up on some leads he had for his case," Xiaoyu said. "They told me to tell you they hope you feel okay."  
  
"I should be soon," Miharu said, sitting up slightly, feeling the heavy mass of pillows behind her. "I'm going to have a headache tomorrow!" She chuckled lightly and swallowed, her throat feeling raw. She flinched.  
  
"Oh, you need a drink?" Xiaoyu noticed her discomfort.  
  
"Yes, please."  
  
Xiaoyu nodded and stood from the stool she was on. "I'll be right back then." And she hurried off, shutting the heavy echoing door.  
  
Miharu just lay there, listening to the nothingness in the room. It was so peaceful, no more noise of screaming crowds… or really anything. She was still paralysed from her dreams, or, flashbacks, whatever she saw them as. The warmth in her lips rose, a tingling there like in a memory, as if it had actually happened. Her eyes were dry, there were no tears to shed, or maybe, she was just afraid to cry.  
  
The door reopened and Xiaoyu stepped back in with a plastic cup filled with ice cold water. Miharu accepted it, her throat parched. Xiaoyu retook her seat, watching her friend drink like a woman deprived of water in a hot desert.  
  
"You know, it was strange, during your match, I saw Jin watching in the audience…"  
  
Miharu nearly gagged on the water, but had just swallowed as Xiaoyu mentioned his name.  
  
"H-he was?" She could only say.  
  
"Yeah, weird. After so long, he was just… there." Xiaoyu was just as shocked as she was. "I tried to find him after you were brought in here but I couldn't find him. I asked around, but they said he'd just disappeared. Weird, huh?"  
  
Miharu clasped the cup tightly, almost crushing it. "Yeah… weird." She was dying to go on her own search for him, but knew she'd just be as unsuccessful as everyone else. He was hiding away, and there had to be a good reason why.  
  
"You okay?" Xiaoyu asked.  
  
Miharu nodded, taking the last sip of water, quenching her thirst. "Yes, I'm fine. The bump is just disorientating me is all. I'll be back to my normal self in no time."  
  
"Scary thought," Xiaoyu joked.  
  
Miharu grinned lightly and looked up as the door opened, a blonde man walking. He was the flirtatious one from the banquet; the one fawned over by the female population there.  
  
"Hey, so you're finally awake!" He said smiling. "The was one hell of a match you had out there. You showed that Monteiro a thing or two."  
  
"Why, uh, thank you," Miharu answered, a little confused on who this guy was.  
  
"Oh, sorry, I didn't introduce myself," he approached the makeshift bed, extending his hand. "The name's Steve Fox, I'm fighting in the tournament too. I'd love to face you as an opponent. You're an excellent fighter."  
  
She nodded, shaking his hand. "Thank you very much, Mr. Fox."  
  
"Just call me Steve," he insisted, turning to Xiaoyu and shaking her hand. She introduced herself to him and they made small talk.  
  
Miharu looked at this bright, bubbly British man and sighed. She had to admit that he was pretty hot, but she had promised herself not to look at any other man. She had literally dug herself a hole to sleep in for the rest of her life. She sighed inwardly.  
  
"Well, you see," Steve continued with Miharu paying half attention. "There is a club opening up a party in honour of the tournament and I was hoping to find some people to go with. It's in a couple of day's time and will give Miharu here the chance to recuperate. As was wondering if you lovely ladies would go with me."  
  
"That would be nice," Xiaoyu said, then turned to the Japanese girl. "What do you think, Miharu?"  
  
She looked between them and felt obligated not to refuse. "Oh, okay."  
  
"Great!" Steve said brightening.  
  
"I really want to go home and rest now," Miharu said tiredly.  
  
"I don't think the medics are keeping you here," Xiaoyu said to her. "I could call out for a limo to pick us up."  
  
"No need," Steve said. "I've got a car. I could give you both a lift home?"  
  
"Oh, you don't have to," Miharu said, swinging her legs carefully around so she could climb off. She still felt a bit woozy but that would eventually pass.  
  
Steve carefully took her arm. "Oh, it's no trouble. It would be better to get you home quickly. You like you need a good rest up."  
  
Miharu gave in, as it seemed a better idea to get straight off home with the way she was instead of hanging around for a limo. "Okay."  
  
"Good. Okay, Xiaoyu, you take one arm, I'll take the other," he directed and they bother helped the girl off the table onto her numb feet.  
  
"I never knew the floor was made of jelly," she muttered, looking down at her feet.  
  
"You wish," Xiaoyu said giggling and she and Steve helped her out of the locker room. 


	9. Chapter 8

Love Worth Fighting For  
  
By Indigo Siren  
  
Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.  
  
Chapter 8  
  
The phone rung on the landing, begging to be heard. Miharu could hear it all right, but didn't bother moving from her curled up position beneath the mass of quilts piled on top of her. It kept on wailing with its persistent ringing, that was, until Miharu's father went to answer it.  
  
"Hello? Oh hi, Hanii! I'm so glad you called! Still up for lunch? Great! I'll pick you up soon then! Bye!"  
  
Miharu rolled over, scratching the grove of her back and hiding her face in her pillow. There was no school this Saturday morning. She felt lucky and had decided to waste it away by sleeping in. She was very tired and told herself that she deserved to snuggle up with the blankets once in a while.  
  
Her father's knock on the door made her groan.  
  
"Miharu, I hope you don't plan to sleep in all day?"  
  
"No…" She managed to moan out, sinking lower into the mass of quilts.  
  
"Well, do make a move soon! Anyway, I'm going out for lunch with Hanii. Don't know when I'll be back."  
  
"Yeah, yeah… okay, love you…" She yawned out and settled back down.  
  
He sighed. "Later, Miharu."  
  
She didn't reply, but just lay there, trying to snooze away, ignoring the world. It was about ten minutes later before she realised she was truly wide-awake and could no longer sleep.  
  
Curse her father and the invention known as the telephone!  
  
She sat up, wavering slightly and turned towards the clock. It was going on twelve o'clock. She grumbled and pretty much flopped out of bed, heading straight for the bathroom to shower up.  
  
After about fifteen minutes of cleaning up and dressing in a long, plain T-shirt and jeans worn at the knees, she managed to get trudge downstairs without tripping in her hazy state of mind and headed straight for the kitchen.  
  
Her stomach was crying out for toast and marmalade, and so, obeying this, she jammed two slices of bread into the toaster and leaned onto the cold counter top as she waited for her breakfast to be grilled.  
  
She stifled one of many yawns, disgruntled that she didn't get a good night's sleep. It hadn't been just the humid, groggy night air that had kept her up in a sweaty mess, it was the dreams of being trapped in the darkness, and not even having the woman in white able to save her. Her dreams were becoming confusing and nothing seemed to add up anymore, however much she thought about it. She couldn't link any of her dreams, though the same message seemed to be repeated over and over. Ever since the dream she had of Jin after being knocked out by Christie, she thought all these terrible nightmares would just go away. She thought the love that had surfaced would keep her safe. But she was wrong, and she was scared to fall asleep, though she would try and fail because of her impending fear.  
  
She jumped not only at the sound of the toast popping up in the toaster, but also at the sound of something being posted through the mail box.  
  
She put her toast onto a plate and abandoned them for just a moment, to go see what had been put through the door.  
  
'Strange, it's a bit late for the mailman,' she thought.  
  
On the wicker doormat sat a white envelope with exaggerated italic handwriting on. It lay face up to her as she approached, leaning down to pick up the envelope addressed to her. She raised an eyebrow, carefully looking it over. She distinctly noticed there was no stamp on the corner, and thought that it must have been posted by the person who wrote it.  
  
She quickly opened the door, looking out to see if she could spot anyone about whom might have posted it.  
  
The streets were clear, minus the cars coming to and fro along the road.  
  
She sighed, knowing she'd probably just missed them.  
  
She shut the door, putting her back to it as she carefully tore it open, looking in on a neatly folded up piece of paper. She pulled it out carefully, reading over the writing of the letter:  
  
To Miss Miharu Hirano,  
  
Your presence is requested at 'Le Beau Papillon', at 1 o'clock of this day. It is of importance that you attend. The name of the table reserved is under 'Hirano'. Once you arrive, your company will join you. Have a nice day.  
  
The letter was left unsigned.  
  
Miharu checked over it again and again, flipping it over to see if there was writing on the back, which there wasn't. Nothing else was inside the envelope. She slipped the paper back in, holding the envelope tightly within her hand.  
  
Who could be inviting me to 'Le Beau Papillon'?  
  
With the toast forgotten, she rushed upstairs to prepare quickly for whomever she was meeting.  
  
***  
  
Ornate in an ivory, sleeveless dress, Miharu stepped towards the entrance of 'Le Beau Papillon', around about five minutes to one.  
  
She stood at the glass doors, peering inside at the fairly busy lunchtime bustle. Even though it was an illustrious, posh, French restaurant, it had found big duty with the wealthy business folk who wanted a decent lunch. Miharu felt deadly uncomfortable to go inside, enough that her whole body felt like it would fall apart with nervousness. Her sandals annoying chose the time to start itching and she had to try and ignore it.  
  
She walked in, listening to soft violin music in the background. A waitress came to the door, giving her somewhat of a condescending look.  
  
"Something I can help you with, dear?" She asked, looking Miharu over, as if she stood out like a sore thumb.  
  
"Hi," Miharu quickly said, trying to get out of this woman's way as fast as possible. "I'm here to meet someone under the table name of 'Hirano'?"  
  
The waitress huffed slightly, looking unbelieving. "I'll just go check."  
  
The waitress sauntered off, leaving Miharu to wait, looking down so she wouldn't have to meet the eyes of anyone else within the place. Their stares seemed undermining to her.  
  
A moment later, the waitress came back, her face placid and what seemed aghast. "There is a table under 'Hirano'. If you'd like to come this way." The waitress turned sharply, walking professionally on the high heels, having Miharu quickly keep up with her fast paced stroll towards a table at the back.  
  
The clean and freshly covered mahogany table awaited her, and the waitress immediately, though slightly reluctantly pulled out a chair. She was doing her job cordially, but still slightly miffed that a girl like Miharu was getting to dine there.  
  
Miharu knew she wasn't exactly a top class, rich girl and that she expected something like this from staff of this calibre.  
  
"You have someone meeting you?" The waitress asked, setting Miharu under the table. "This is reserved for two."  
  
"Yes, I would like to know who I'm meeting too." This surprised the waitress, who turned with a bewildered look on her face, going to grab the menus for the table. She set them ahead of the young girl. "What would you like to drink?"   
  
"I'll order when my 'friend' gets here," Miharu said.  
  
Without a word, the waitress left her, going back to take her position behind the bar.  
  
The table was littered with many things Miharu found interesting enough to aptly play with while she waited. She unfolded and refolded the napkins, even made them into swans and what not, she messed around with the salt and pepper containers till she spilt some salt on the table and decided not to anymore. She looked at the clock that just seemed to tick slower and slower by the second…  
  
… And just as she was falling asleep…  
  
"This way, sir," the waitresses voice came as she approached.  
  
She sat up straight, dusting down her dress, turning as a suited man passed the table, heading for the opposite chair. He turned to face her.  
  
If she hadn't have been sitting down, she'd have fainted in horror.  
  
It was the man from the Café Macaron, the one in the shades… the one she had mistaken for Jin. Her hands clenched tightly on her lap, eyes wide as he took a seat across from her. He smiled, and she thought her heart had stopped in fear. His eyes were once again hidden behind sunglasses, and it was a little bit of assurance that she couldn't see his eyes.  
  
"Thank you," Kazuya said to the waitress, whom bowed politely and left them. He turned towards Miharu, who was trying her best not to shake in her seat. "Miharu Hirano, I'm so glad to finally talk to you."  
  
'How does he know my name?' She thought and jumped as his hand came towards her. He held it out to her, offering a handshake.  
  
'Oh well, it is rude not to…'  
  
She extended her own frail hand and took his. The strength behind his hand was unnerving, and she tried her best to keep her handshake composed and calm, and not jittery like she felt.  
  
Their hands parted and she quickly hid it back on her lap, still tingling from the warmth that resided from him. He was smiling so firmly at her, making her feel really uncomfortable. He was either doing it on purpose or he was totally oblivious to how she was feeling. She tried to keep her gaze on his face, depicting things out to look out so that she could keep her eyes locked on him. She noticed he was pretty tight, not many lines, especially around the mouth, telling her that he wasn't accustomed to smiling much.  
  
"I'm glad you could make it," he said to her, his deep voice coming out eerily smooth. "Have you had a drink or something to eat?"  
  
"Oh, uh, no," she said shyly.  
  
"You can choose anything you want," he said, handing her a menu and she took it carefully.  
  
Looking it over, she felt her stomach twist with some of the meals that were on the lunchtime menu. She didn't think she could stomach anything, especially with this man in her presence. She barely knew him, but he seemed to sure as hell know who she was. It was creepy…  
  
"I'll, just settle with a drink if you don't mind," she said, closing the menu carefully. "A soda, please."  
  
"Are you sure?" He asked kindly, though when he spoke it made her tremble, however he was speaking.  
  
She nodded quickly. "Yes, very sure."  
  
"Alright, but I hope you don't mind if I eat, it's been a busy day so far." He raised a hand, beckoning back over the waitress, who seemed to be very honoured to be in the presence of this man. He gave her their drinks orders, he himself having some wine, the finest they had. Though it only being lunch hour, it didn't deter him one bit to be drinking alcohol. He ordered himself a salad and sent the waitress on her way with their orders.  
  
Kazuya turned back to Miharu. "Now I can get down to a formal introduction to you. If you don't know, I am Kazuya Mishima, the CEO of G-Corporation. You should know the name Mishima, no?"  
  
Miharu nodded slightly. "Yes, I know the name Mishima. Are you related to Heihachi Mishima?"  
  
For a brief moment, she could have sworn a cold essence came from his being, the smile faltering on his face, but it only seemed to last a second before his face was bright and warm, his smile widening a touch.  
  
"Heihachi Mishima would be my father," he said simply, no emotion to his words.  
  
Miharu's eyes widened. 'His son… and Jin is Heihachi's grandson… could he be…?'  
  
Their drinks were brought to them. Miharu's was set ahead of her, as was Kazuya's, who instantly took a sip of it, giving a compliment to the waitress, whom sauntered off quickly, a blush on her face. Miharu fiddled with her glass for a moment, before taking a sip.  
  
"I believe you went to school with my son, his name is Jin Kazama," Kazuya said, putting his glass down.  
  
Miharu's thoughts were confirmed and she cradled the glass with uncertainty. She had a feeling that Jin was the reason of her being here.  
  
"Yes, I do know him," Miharu said. "Is that why you invited me out? To ask about him?"  
  
If his smile could have gone any wider, it would have. The girl had unknowingly got right down to the point, and he didn't really now need to beat about the bush. He could see she was ever more nervous for being so forward to ask that, but he had no intention of frightening her, and was going to be as civil and as kind as he could to get all the information he could out of her.  
  
"People have been you see…" She trailed off quickly, in case she was wrong.  
  
"You are right, my dear," Kazuya said, eyeing the glass of red liquid in front of him and then looking up to her soft, pale face. "I am here to talk to you about my son. I would like to ask you a few questions concerning him."  
  
"I'll answer the best I can," she said weakly, she put the drink down and her fingers began playing with her dress as a distraction. She hoped his questions wouldn't be too personal.  
  
"I hear you have been in affliction with him at some point," he said, watching her expression become a little worried. "I'm sure you like everyone else were baffled by his disappearance. I was just curious to know if you know where he is? Or has he contacted you?"  
  
"I… was at some point friends with him," Miharu said slowly. "But I haven't spoken to him in two years?"  
  
"Have you seen him around?" Kazuya pressed onwards, sipping his drink again.  
  
She sipped her own and licked her lower lip. "Well, I'm not sure. Maybe…"  
  
"Maybe?" Kazuya raised an eyebrow, watching her try to carefully conceal her emotions.  
  
"As I say, I'm not sure. He's been keeping a low profile, I think…"  
  
"Well, even so, he's be around and about where tournament matches are, though he only has attended some by what we've picked up on so far. And they have been… your matches…"  
  
Miharu couldn't help but look up at him in shock. Had Jin really been around watching her matches? She remembered Xiaoyu saying that he'd been there during her match with Christie Monteiro.  
  
"Oh, I wouldn't know," she said.  
  
"From what we've picked up, we believe at one point you and he were… more then friends," he said carefully, her face ahead of him going completely white. "And that he is now trying to get in contact with you…"  
  
She grabbed at the tablecloth, trying to cover up her shock. Her hand nudged her fork off the table and it tumbled onto the carpeting. She silently cursed, shaking and bent down, scrambling to pick it up. She sat back up, fork in hand, looking at him. He was smiling, hands interlocked in front of him on the tablemat. She placed the fork down, clearing her throat, close to falling apart.  
  
"Oh… I don't know… if he is… well, he hasn't," she stuttered.  
  
"Not yet, but he may," Kazuya said. "And we want to know if he does."  
  
Miharu shrugged unsure whether to trust him. Her throat was dry and she reached out for her drink, her mind in a complete frenzy. She just wanted to get out of there. She gulped down a hefty mouthful of the liquid. She choked as if she swallowed a small lump and coughed, bending over away from the table. She put it all down to the fear, and how much she wanted a distraction.  
  
She felt his hand rubbed against her back, gently patting it. "Are you alright?"  
  
Her coughing fit practically ceased with the shock of him touching her. She sat up, nearly knocking her drink over, but fast hands had her catching it. He watched her, head tilted and she stood straight, looking around the room at the few people staring their way. They were whispering, things that she didn't want to hear. Maybe the situation looked strange, her and Mr Mishima, with an age gap… it was just so unthinkable! Why did she even consider it?  
  
"I have to go," she said sharply, making sure she had her things.  
  
"So soon?" He asked, touching her arm, a prickling sensation forcing its way up and she though she'd faint right there and then.  
  
"Yes, I have other obligations to fill today," she answered, ready to rush away, but his hand was held firmly in place, not letting her go anywhere. She was starting to panic. He carefully pulled her to him, so that his mouth was close to her ear.  
  
"You can go now, run to safety, but we'll be watching you," he whispered, so calm it was scary. "If you hold out on us on where he is, or up with him at any point, we'll find out… we know where you live, Miharu Hirano. Be very careful what you do."  
  
His silky voice reverberated up her spine, and that rough hand of his rubbed against her arm. From the position she was in, most people in the restaurant would think he was nuzzling her neck. Once his grip loosened, she pulled away and escaped quickly, not looking back.  
  
Kazuya watched her go and smirked to himself.  
  
"Your salad, sir," the waitress said as she came with his food, setting it in front of him.  
  
"Thank you," he said with a nod, watching her take Miharu's glass away as she went back to the bar.  
  
Kazuya whipped out a phone from the inside of jacket and pressed the speed dial, holding it carefully to his ear as he let his fork play with his food. A long awaited answer came after it rung for some time. "Ah Konoha, you are there after all! Right, tell the men that Miss Hirano should be on priority monitoring. I don't trust her not to get in contact with my son. You should also be able to pick up a signal on her, as I slipped that new little temporary transmitter device into her drink when she was distracted. Thankfully she swallowed it, but not before nearly choking on it. A great little camouflaging device the lab boys came up with, they've actually done good work for once. Wherever Miss Hirano goes now, we'll know about it…"  
  
***  
  
She had run all the way home, afraid to see Kazuya looming over her shoulder again. She was scared out of her wits. Why was he asking this of her? She couldn't hand Jin over; she'd never do that, or even give him information about where he is or what he's doing.  
  
She'd tried to forget about the encounter, but it had really shaken her up. On getting home, she had stripped down and had leapt into a cold bath. The sudden shock to the system brought her back to reality. She held her body within the water as her skin cooled down to an icy chill; she shivered, listening as her erratic breathing begin to curb. Slowly but surely, she recovered herself and clambered out the bath, washing up again and getting dressed again.  
  
She hid out in her room lazily, trying not to be consumed by thoughts of what had happened in 'Le Beau Papillon'. To forget would be the best thing. If she avoided Kazuya Mishima from now on, she wouldn't have to worry about him again.  
  
At some point she had fallen asleep, but thankfully, there were no nightmares awaiting her in the blissfulness of the unconscious world. In fact, no dreams altogether. When she awoke, it was an hour before Steve, Xiaoyu and Julia were coming over to pick her up for that party she'd agreed to go to a few days ago.  
  
She rushed to get ready for their arrival…  
  
… An hour later, now dressed in shiny, black, vinyl trousers and a glittering spaghetti strapped top, she was all ready to party.  
  
Her dad had called and told her that he and Hanii were going to see a play at the local theatre so she knew he wouldn't be back for a while, thought it didn't matter in the least.  
  
The doorbell rang out through the house and she hurried through the hallway, her thin strapped heels clicking against the floor with an echo, as she grabbed the handle of the door and opened it. She revealed Steve standing on her doorstep, dressed in an open Hawaiian shirt and a pair of red baggy bottoms, with a chain hanging at the side. She thought he looked gorgeous.  
  
He smiled, tipping his sunglasses on the edge of his nose. "You look smashing!"  
  
"Oh, you too," she said, grinning.  
  
Xiaoyu's was waving from the open roof car that sat in front of her house. "HI MIHARU!" She shouted.  
  
"Hi, Xiao!" Miharu waved back and quickly went back inside to grab her bag. She hurried back out and locked the door behind her, following Steve towards his car and hopping in beside the Chinese girl, who hugged her tightly.  
  
"Been okay?" Xiaoyu asked.  
  
"Been reasonable, some restless nights, nothing to worry about," Miharu said. She didn't intend to tell her about her encounter with Kazuya Mishima.  
  
Miharu noticed Julia on the other side of Xiaoyu, sitting quietly.  
  
"Hi there, Julia," Miharu addressed, getting the American girl's attention, who smiled lightly.  
  
"Hi, Miharu," she said, and sighed softly, looking down.  
  
"What's wrong?" Miharu inquired.  
  
"She had to fight Lei last night in a match," Xiaoyu spoke up for the girl. "She won, but not without beating him up a lot first."  
  
Julia sighed again. "We were both well into it. We both wanted to win. He always said that he never wanted to face me because he didn't want to hurt me…"  
  
Miharu looked at her strangely, the look on the young American's full of regret, and maybe even more…  
  
"Do you love him?" Miharu questioned.  
  
Julia instantly snapped around, blushing like crazy. "What! No, I mean, he's my friend! He's old enough to be my father! We're close but… oh…" She gave up and went silent.  
  
Xiaoyu smiled at her. "Loves knows no age…"  
  
Julia hid her face.  
  
Steve had pushed his sunglasses back on properly and was leaning over the seat, looking over the three beautiful women in the back seat.  
  
"Ready to go ladies?" He asked, grinning wildly.  
  
"LET'S PARTY!" Xiaoyu whooped, thrusting her hand in the air.  
  
***  
  
The lights switched colours throughout the club, the music blaring out, literally bursting through the walls as the dancers all around let their bodies move with the crazy beat. When Miharu and the others arrived, they wasted no time crashing out on the dance floor, moving along all the amateurs to really show them how things were done.  
  
Miharu was going to forget about what happened earlier, and let her mind go with the flow. The club was so vibrant and enthralling, everyone around wanting to dance with Miharu, as she was one of the people being honoured in for participating in the King of Iron Fist Tournament.  
  
Her mind now free with a few drinks Steve had brought for her and the others, Miharu let loose and danced around the club like a free spirit…  
  
… That was until she was spun around in a flash by a face she'd never thought she'd come across again.  
  
"Oh… Hwoarang…" She acknowledged, in a less then thrilled voice as she stared into the furious eyes of the Korean.  
  
"This is something what I'd expect of a selfish little Japanese bitch like you! Flaunting yourself off on Christie's expense! You embarrassed her and everything she fought for!"  
  
Miharu just smiled lightly. "What, fighting for another breast enhancement? She didn't even honour herself or me. She was head strong for her own good!"  
  
Hwoarang was going completely red in the face. "You wouldn't know about honour with the way you were fighting! Like a vicious little dog!"  
  
"Were we watching the same match?" Xiaoyu interrupted. "Because I do believe that Christie was more of dog then Miharu!"  
  
Hwoarang suddenly completely forgot about Miharu's presence as he pushed her aside, stalking up to Xiaoyu, invading her personal space. But obviously, she wasn't in the least intimidated.  
  
"And what do you know, you ignorant little shit?" Hwoarang snapped at her.  
  
"A lot more than you think," Xiaoyu said, not raising her voice in the slightest. "If Christie is so bothered about losing, why doesn't she bring her wimpy, blow-me-up butt all the way over here and confront Miharu herself instead of sending her bed warmer to do the job for her?"  
  
He was ready to strike her but held back, his lip clenched. "She's fucking upset! She doesn't feel like partying with people who don't respect her! She's packing up right now to go back to Brazil, completely ashamed…" He finally turned back to Miharu. "… All thanks to you."  
  
"Oh, I'll be so guilty for the rest of my life," Miharu said sarcastically.  
  
Hwoarang didn't bother with her anymore, and turned back to Xiaoyu. "Whatever! And anyway, I know you're holding out on where Kazama is! Tell me, or you'll be spending the night on an IV in the emergency room!"  
  
"For pities sake!" Xiaoyu said, tired and aggravated. "I don't know! I've seen him, but he obviously doesn't want to get involved with people. Stop being so damn pig headed. If you're so desperate for his company, go out and find him!"  
  
"I'm trying to find the bastard, but he just isn't anywhere!" Hwoarang roared at her, trying to make her back up a step, but instead just bashed against her body. She didn't falter.  
  
"Okay, that's it, leave her alone, mate," Steve broke in as he came over, pushing Hwoarang back.  
  
"You're no mate of mine," Hwoarang said, fists clenching and unclenching with rage.  
  
"Oh, as if I didn't know that," Steve said, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Why don't you stop trying to pick fights with innocent bystanders and go get laid or something. Maybe Christie will be waiting for you when you get back, if Xiaoyu and Miharu haven't ripped your nuts off by then…"  
  
Both girls named laughed and the Korean just growled, knowing he didn't want to bring attention to himself. He turned and walked away, pushing some innocent dancer out of his way. The unfortunate bystander swore loudly at him in Japanese and went back to dancing with her friends.  
  
Xiaoyu and Miharu wiped tears out of their eyes, their laughter subsiding.  
  
"You're so funny, Steve," Xiaoyu said, still giggling in remembrance of the comments he made to the Korean.  
  
"I do my best," he said with a wink, turning to Julia who brought four drinks. "Ah, thank you!"  
  
She smiled and handed the simple lemonades to the two younger girls while Steve had a sparkling water, for the fact he was driving, and Julia herself had a Vodka Ice.  
  
Steve escorted Julia towards the dance floor, while Xiaoyu and Miharu headed towards one of the side seats, to sit down after exhausting themselves with dancing.  
  
Xiaoyu relaxed back, drinking her drink down to quench her dry throat.  
  
"You should slow down," Miharu suggested. "Drinks aren't cheap here, you know."  
  
Xiaoyu stopped and grinned. "Oh well, I'll get over it! And besides, sodas shouldn't be over priced."  
  
Miharu nodded in agreement and gulped down most of her own drink quickly, putting it down on the table ahead of her. Xiaoyu finished hers in record time and put it down next to the nearly empty glass of Miharu's.  
  
They watched the life of the club around them, the people dancing to their hearts content. Miharu was listening to the rhythm happily, feeling it gently murmur against her chest as the dance music raged on, with many people falling under the powerful spell to move with the beat.  
  
Xiaoyu fiddled with one of her long, soft pigtails, looking over the happy Hirano girl. She looked across the room, still addressing the girl without looking at her. "Miharu, you know, I'm really curious…"  
  
"About what?" Miharu gave Xiaoyu her full attention.  
  
"Well, you know… why you really entered the tournament." Xiaoyu saw the frown on her friend's face and put up her hands defensively. "Don't get me wrong, I do trust what you say, but… it's kinda weird to me. I've never known you to be the one to oppose anyone, and well, I don't think even the money is worth anything to you…"  
  
"Well, it is kind of…" Miharu said, hugging her knees up to her chest.  
  
"Though, why are you really in the tournament? You can honestly tell me." Xiaoyu shifted positions uncomfortably. "Are you in about Jin too?" Miharu's head snapped around to look at her. "You are, aren't you? It's just, I've heard these weird stories and rumours flying around school… about you and Jin…"  
  
Miharu stared at the curious, yet quite disturbed looking within her friend's eyes.  
  
"Tell me, Miharu, what's really going on between you and Jin?" She asked plain and simple.  
  
Miharu turned to look into the crowd and sighed. "You want me to be honest?"  
  
"Yes, very."  
  
Miharu sighed once more. "I love him."  
  
There was a silence that hung on the Chinese girl's lips.  
  
"You remember that night two years ago when I stayed over, and you woke up to find me in Jin's room… well, I never went to study. You see, earlier in that day, after I got my practice exam results back, we took out tutoring session to the lake side and I gave him that bird clay piece I made… and he… kissed me…"  
  
Xiaoyu's mouth hung open as she listened, shocked by all this news she'd never been told.  
  
"… And I ran away…" Miharu continued. "… But I was so sorry for it, and I began to feel for him, and then… that night, we got together. And no, we didn't have sex, we never did. I'm in tournament now to meet up with him again. It's all about love now… and I want him to come back… to me."  
  
She fell silent and finally turned to Xiaoyu, who had tearful eyes, lip trembling.  
  
"Xiao?"  
  
"Y-You… never even told me," she said, her voice shaking. "Not even a hint, nothing. I'm your best friend, Miharu, and yet you've kept this from me for two years… and you… you deceived me…"  
  
"Please don't be angry, Xiao, I made a promise…"  
  
Xiaoyu stood up. "And he left you, and you still honoured it though you didn't know what he felt? I don't hate you for that, it's the fact that for so long you laid into us how much you hated him, and now it seems you went straight over our heads to date him too… over the people who really truly liked him…"  
  
"I do like him, even you yourself told me to get to know him," Miharu pleaded in her defence.  
  
"How long would you have kept on lying?" Xiaoyu snapped, looking at her with glistening eyes. "How long could you have kept the world out of this secret?"  
  
"Actually… Rubi knows…" Miharu admitted.  
  
"WHAT!" Xiaoyu was literally blowing her top. "YOU TOLD RUBI! I'VE BEEN YOUR FRIEND LONGER! DOESN'T THAT MEAN WE TRUST EACH OTHER MORE?"  
  
Miharu couldn't answer her, seeing that the girl in front of her was already upset.  
  
"Forget it, Miharu," Xiaoyu fumed. "JUST FORGET IT!"  
  
The Chinese girl turned away from Miharu and stormed off.  
  
"Xiaoyu! Wait! Where are you going?"  
  
"Home!" She shouted over her shoulder. "And I'll walk!"  
  
Miharu stood helplessly in the crowd, watching an irate Xiaoyu disappear.  
  
*********************************************************************************  
  
A/N: Just so you know, I don't hate either Hwoarang or Christie, I've just had them this way for the purpose of this story. 


	10. Chapter 9

Love Worth Fighting For  
  
By Indigo Siren  
  
Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Feathery white clouds hovered at her feet, and as she stepped on them, she felt as if she weighed of nothing but air. The clear, white, glittery stretch led onward into an endless landscape, but Miharu felt like she was meant to go somewhere and her heart led her in the right direction. Whether right or wrong, she trusted her instincts and trudged on.  
  
It may have only been seconds later, but it felt like hours had passed before she came to a stop, staring at a girl just a head in shimmering mass of fog. Miharu's pace picked up and she was running in curious anticipation towards this figure, drawing to a dead stop as her eyes graced over the sorrowful face of Ling Xiaoyu.  
  
The Chinese girl was knelt carefully within the misty expanse, looking at a couple of small pictures in her hand, tears dripping like tiny crystals from her eyes.  
  
"Xiao?" Miharu called softly.  
  
The Chinese girl instantly stood, dropping the pictures. Not even giving Miharu a look, she ran off into the mist.  
  
"XIAOYU! WAIT! COME BACK!" Miharu cried. "PLEASE DON'T BE ANGRY WITH ME! I'M SORRY!"  
  
But her calls went on deaf ears as the girl disappeared into the mist, gone without a trace. Miharu could do nothing but sigh. She walked towards the pictures that Xiaoyu had dropped and bent down to pick them up. With the pictures now in hand, she glanced them over, her jaw becoming slack. They were the two small passport sized photos of her and Jin on their last date. Her eyes filled up with tears, not only because of Xiaoyu's anger at her, but because she missed him greatly. Life was forever cruel, as was her dreams. Yes… a dream… she accepted it, that his face would only be welcome to her here.  
  
Looking up, she felt the tears trickle down her cheeks, painting clear streaks of pain across her face.  
  
"Why?" She blubbered softly. "Why must I be tortured? If there is a message or a sign I need to know, give me it and leave me alone…"  
  
She sat down with thump against the puffy whiteness that represented the ground. The softness greeted her, and for once, she had wished it were rough and unforgiving, scratching at her skin until blood was drawn. She wanted the pain to seep from her, but only within her dreams, not on her physical body, as life carried on whatever, though her dreams were forever lingering with things of the past. She would not mar her body over this.  
  
The wind caught around her frame, whipping coldly, and her skin reacted violently making her huddle tightly against it. She understood this feeling, that drawn directly from her heart. She closed her eyes, listening to her shuddering breaths, wishing for this all to stop.  
  
"You're worthless…"  
  
Her eyes snapped open, and she looked around for whomever spoke to her. There was nobody.  
  
"You're pathetic…" She stood as many voices began to pick up around her, haunting in eerie echoes of hate and disgust.  
  
"Nobody cares about you…"  
  
"He rejected you…"  
  
"Not worth the time…"  
  
"Why don't you curl up and cry away your life…"  
  
"Nobody needs you…"  
  
"You've ruined people's lives…"  
  
"SHUT UP!" Miharu screamed out as the voices began to become overwhelming. "YOU DON'T KNOW ME! YOU'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND!" She was running with her hands over her ears, looking for means of escape, but everything seemed to be closing in around her. "YOU AREN'T REAL! YOU AREN'T!"  
  
"Poor, Miharu… so alone… so afraid… just what she deserves…" The voices taunted in unison.  
  
"SHUT UP! I CAN'T HEAR YOU! I'M NOT LISTENING ANYMORE!"  
  
Her screams filled the void and carried, carrying over the voices. She collapsed to her knees and sobbed for all she was worth, hands still pressed over her ears.   
  
Soft, careful hands took her arms and she reacted with a start, screaming, eyes looking up in fear. She came face to face with the beautiful woman in white.  
  
"Leave me alone," Miharu whimpered. "I can't take it anymore…"  
  
"I'm sorry," the woman whispered. "I'm sorry if I frighten you…"  
  
Miharu shook her head. "No… you don't, it's just…"  
  
"You think I'm part of this cursing nightmare you endure." She shook her raven-haired head. "No, I'm here as the sign of peace. As long as you look for a way out and keep on fighting, I'll always be here."  
  
"I'm lonely… nobody can help me…" Miharu cried.  
  
"Of course people can help you, Miharu. You're just experiencing the overwhelming pain of loss. There is something missing inside of you… something that will guide you," she said.  
  
Miharu looked up into those knowing, angelic eyes. "Who are you?"  
  
"The one who will help you heal. My name is Jun Kazama."  
  
Miharu's eyes widened. "Jun Kazama… are you… related to Jin? His mother?"  
  
She smiled. "Yes, that's right."  
  
"But… you're dead…" Jun just smiled at Miharu. "Why are you here?"  
  
"As I said…" Jun helped her to her feet. "To heal. Your mind is giving you hidden messages, ones that you must puzzle together. And also, these nightmares are playing on your fears and your pain. They are linking up to something, maybe an interpretation. Only you will work it out when the time comes."  
  
Miharu looked down. "Well, I've dreamed of creatures, the pain of rejection, the feelings of compassion… and now hate and cursing… I just don't get it at all…"  
  
"You will. Everything will come to make sense, and you'll think of things you never have before," Jun said, holding her shoulders carefully, giving her nothing but comfort. But her face then turned serious. "But I must warn you, when you are searching for answers, you need to be careful… things are getting more flagitious by the minute. And I'm not talking about your dreams…"  
  
Miharu watched the eyes of Jun Kazama, but saw nothing but uncertainty within them. She was completely baffled.   
  
Jun pulled away.  
  
"Heed my warning," she said simply. "What you choose now, may effect the outcome of everything. Though, you may think you're doing the wrong thing, but in the end, it will be right, even though you fear it…"  
  
Miharu instantly knew she couldn't be told more, and decided not to press on, since she wouldn't get the answers anyway. "Alright," she whispered.  
  
Jun nodded. "Good luck." And she turned away, walking into the mist, swallowed within the white.  
  
Miharu watched her go, and inevitably began to feel a dizziness overwhelm her. The misty whiteness wrapped tightly around her head, the pressure making her vision distort to black. She felt her body falling backwards, landing on the softness of the clouds and bouncing slightly, welcome now by the darkness that had flooded her eyes, suddenly clicking into place over the white.   
  
Her bedroom now looked a strange place.  
  
Her dream was over. What now?  
  
Lying there for a moment, everything seemed hazy, but distantly, she remembered Jun Kazama's words, echoing over and over inside her head. That's just when she realised a very nasty headache was coming on and both of her hands went to her throbbing temples.  
  
"I never should have drank so much," she whimpered.  
  
Though she didn't get considerably drunk, she'd easily let go to drink the night away, especially when Xiaoyu left. She'd become depressed. And now, she was feeling the churn of the after effects taking revenge. She smacked dry lips together and groaned, slowly kicking the covers off and swinging out of bed, dying for a drink. She stumbled precariously towards the bathroom, deciding not to poison her eyes with blinding light while she felt this rotten. She was glad to see the sink, sitting waiting for her, almost calling to her with its cool water within.  
  
She ran the cold tap till the water came out icy cool and she cupped her hands beneath it and sipped away until the dryness faded into a far off memory. She splashed her face, letting the drops dribble across her pale cheeks. She grabbed the towel from the rail and slightly dabbed her face. Though refreshed, her headache still thumped slightly and her stomach was starting to twist knots, painful ones at that. She nearly fell over as wave after wave of nausea threatened to ground her. She'd never felt this kind of pain in her life.  
  
She quickly shuffled towards the toilet, dropping to her knees and threw up, exhausting the contents of her stomach till she felt a peaceful emptiness inside. She coughed and wheezed feebly, dry heaving over the bowl. She waited there shaking, but nothing more would come. Now settled, she grumbled tiredly and sighed, glad that her headache was beginning to subside. With certainty she could stand, she made a grab for the sink and took to having a hefty drink of water.  
  
'Remind me never to drink lots of different alcohol in one night,' she noted to herself. 'And watch what I eat too.'  
  
Whatever it was, all that mattered now was making it back to the bed and finishing up the rest of the night under her quilts. In the morning light, things could be solved and repaired.  
  
***  
  
"Sunday mornings are meant for sleeping, not traipsing out to see who you're gonna brawl with," Miharu protested feebly as she walked through Tokyo towards the main building for the Mishima Zaibatsu offices.  
  
Feeling much better then she did hours ago, she was willing to walk it and get some fresh air, while her dad was having a lye-in after a night with Hanii. And for a fact, Miharu wasn't going to ask or even question what they had done. What gave it away was Hanii in their kitchen, making breakfast, wearing one of her dad's shirts. An interesting sight, but Miharu wasn't bitter, and exchanged pleasantries with the woman, eating her prepared food and going out to see whom her next opponent on the agenda was in the King of Iron Fist Tournament.  
  
Her stomach and headache were now a bad memory, very much settled by some tablets she'd rummaged out of the medicine cabinet. She finally made it to the Mishima owned building, after a long trek and walked through the glass revolving doors into a plush ochre coloured lobby.  
  
The receptionist at the desk was talking into a phone headset, speaking with that high, bubbly voice only receptionists seemed to have. She turned as Miharu came to the desk, put up her hand for a second while she finished the call, and then turned to the awaiting girl, beaming. "Hello, Miss Hirano. Here for your match scheduling?"  
  
"Yes, thank you, Kaoru," Miharu answered her, smiling back.  
  
Kaoru nodded and spun her swivel chair towards a long row of cabinets, fingers running down the labels before producing a set of keys to open one of the lower draws. She flipped through a few folders and made a small noise of success as she produced a wad of envelopes, flicking through them at the speed of light, producing one labelled for Miharu. She handed it to her.  
  
"Thank you," Miharu said graciously and turned towards the doorway, taking a slow walk across the lobby as she tore the envelope open. She slipped the paper out with anticipation, stopping like a statue as she read it:  
  
Wednesday 5.00 - Tokyo Arena - Versus Kazuya Mishima.  
  
Her eyes went wide and she quickly backtracked to the desk. "Excuse me, Kaoru, are you sure this is right? This isn't a miss print?"  
  
Kaoru took the paper back and slipped on a pair of glasses to look at the writing. Still smiling, she handed it back. "I'll just check on my computer."  
  
She spun her chair towards a computer and tapped away quickly, scanning through to find the tournament details file with all the matches that had been recently scheduled. Miharu waited, completely nerve wracked. No way could she face Kazuya!   
  
When Kaoru stopped typing, Miharu jumped slighting.  
  
"Well?" Miharu asked.  
  
Kaoru turned the seat. "Your match scheduling is perfectly correct. No miss print. Your opponent is Kazuya Mishima."  
  
Miharu gripped the front of the desk slightly. "Seriously?"  
  
"Most serious, Miss Hirano." The woman's smile never faltered.  
  
Miharu sighed shakily. "W-well, thank you." And she quickly left, suddenly having the urge to drop to her knees and scream to the heavens.  
  
***  
  
Just like old times, she found solace on her favourite park hill, lying face up on the grass, staring at the passing clouds.  
  
'Good old hill, you never fail me,' she thought.  
  
Though it was a perfectly nice day, she was plagued by utter dread at the thought of having to fight the powerhouse Kazuya Mishima in three days. It was unthinkable! How could she beat this man? The strength she has felt behind the hand that had touched her arm in the restaurant clearly called out with fierce aggression, which he could obviously throw out with those fists of his.  
  
She knew she'd have to pack in the training extra before this match up, if she ever had a chance of winning. But she was doubtful.  
  
A ball bounced at her side and she jumped, sitting up.  
  
"Surprise, surprise! Didn't know you'd be here!" Yumi said, running up to collect the offending ball. Mika and Rubi could be seen following close behind.  
  
"Hi, guys!" Miharu greeted them all.  
  
"I see you're in one of you deep thinking sessions," Mika noted. "Always come here to do so. Practically gives you away."  
  
Miharu stood, dusting down the back of her trousers. "Can't break tradition now, can I?"  
  
"What you thinking about?" Yumi asked, wrapping an arm over her shoulder.  
  
"I have this match up on Wednesday, and it's against this man named Kazuya Mishima," she told them.  
  
"Of the infamous Mishimas?" Rubi asked.  
  
"Yes, and I'm not joking when I say he is strong," Miharu said, almost quaking in her shoes.  
  
"I hear the Mishimas are great martial artists," Rubi said, and smiled meekly. "I hope that didn't just give your confidence another stab?"  
  
"I thought as much," Miharu said and sighed. "I'm just worried is all."  
  
"You'll do fine, I'm sure." Yumi patted her back. "Come walk up the park? Clear your head?"  
  
"Okay," Miharu agreed, and turned to stroll with the three up the side of the path. "So, what you doing out here so early?"  
  
"I got booted out the house while my parents redecorate," Mika said with a laugh. "They said I'd be no help, and handed me a ball and told me to go out and play. Uh, don't they realise I'm eighteen? Oh well, I thought it would be nice to kick a ball around anyway. So, here we all are."  
  
"It was riveting till Mika started cheating in our little game," Yumi said, giving an evil eye to the accused girl.  
  
"That's not true! Right, Rubi?"  
  
The other girl folded her arms. "No comment."  
  
Mika piqued. "It's a rebellion against me, I swear!"  
  
The group laughed, continuing up the long path descending the hill. They soon spotted Xiaoyu riding her bike. She was adorned in her fitness gear, huffing and puffing up the hill, working up a sweat. She looked up at the oncoming group, and hesitated to stop on seeing Miharu, scowling and decided to keep riding.  
  
"Hi, Xiao," Mika said and waved.  
  
She smiled a little. "Hi, Mika. Hi, Yumi. Hi, Rubi." She gave a cold glare to Miharu and rode by. This stopped the group in their tracks, watching the Chinese girl ride away, and all faces were on Miharu.  
  
"What was all that about?" Yumi inquired.  
  
"Uh, we kind of fell out last night when we went out to the club," Miharu said as she rubbed her arm idly.  
  
"Why though?" Mika asked.  
  
Miharu looked between them. Could she afford to lie anymore to her friends? She decided the secret wasn't worth keeping anymore.  
  
"Rubi knows," Miharu said and Yumi and Mika turned to the Japanese-American curiously. She raised an eyebrow for a moment, confused, but Miharu gave her a look that suddenly brought everything back.  
  
"Can we know too?" Yumi asked, turning back to Miharu.  
  
Miharu sighed. "I guess so. But first, do you promise not to get mad?" She waited until they gave their guarantee before she carried on. "Well, I'm going to put it to you plain and simple, and I'm sure it'll surprise you." She took a deep breath. "I was Jin Kazama's girlfriend."  
  
A bird tweeted loudly. A car exhaust made itself known. A ball broke a window. An empty packet of crisps attempted a tumbleweed impression across the grass.   
  
Yumi and Mika stared at her.  
  
Miharu cleared her throat. "Yup, it's true. And that's why Xiaoyu is angry at me, because I kept it quiet for so long."  
  
"I can see why," Mika said plainly.  
  
Miharu cringed, afraid of the anger, but was surprised when Mika and Yumi both jumped up and down screaming and hugged her.  
  
"MIHARU! YOU DOG!" Mika said laughing.  
  
"You're so lucky! Was he a great kisser? Did you see him naked?" Yumi asked.  
  
Miharu grinned. "He was a great kisser, and no, I didn't see him naked."  
  
"Aww, that's too bad." Yumi broke out into fits of laughter.  
  
Miharu smiled sadly and both girls seemed to notice and stop their girlish laughter.  
  
"Wow… and he disappeared didn't he?" Mika said softly.  
  
"Were you still dating when he left?" Yumi feared to ask.  
  
Miharu nodded. "Yeah…"  
  
"I'm so sorry." Mika patted her back, and Yumi soon followed the pattern, saying a soft apology for the girl's loss.  
  
"It's okay. It took time to get over, but I'm feeling better then I did two years ago." Miharu blew out a heavy breath of air and smiled again. "So, it now explains all my thoughtfulness all that time back."  
  
"Sure does," Mika said. "Surprising about you and the word thought-"  
  
Rubi elbowed her. "Mika, that's cruel."  
  
She giggled. "Couldn't help it. Miharu has to admit she was somewhat of a dip back then."  
  
Miharu nodded in agreement. "Sure was."  
  
Mika stuck her tongue out at Rubi. "See."   
  
Rubi rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out back.  
  
"And you know guys," Miharu suddenly said hopefully. "I think I've seen him around. You know, with the tournament."  
  
Yumi snapped her fingers. "Could be! I hope you find him."  
  
Miharu looked up at the sky. "Yeah, me too."  
  
***  
  
"Tracking the bug. Following this roadway due north. Slowing down at the turn in point a mile ahead."  
  
Konoha looked up at the suited man that addressed him, looking over his tracking equipment in the back of the moving van. Sat around him was a small task force on the trail of the bug that was inside Miharu Hirano.  
  
'I wonder where Miss Hirano is going?' He thought, then nodded at the suited man. "Right, we're staying in pursuit. Mishima-sama classes this sudden movement as suspicious. We must see where she is going."  
  
"Right, sir," the man acknowledged.  
  
Konoha sat back, wondering why he got himself roped into this chase. It wasn't his line of work. He was better as an office worker, not a spy, or even a stalker as he felt working this situation. He was intent now to ask the boss for a pay rise for this work.  
  
It wasn't a short time later, still listening to the murmurs with his co-workers before he heard the voice of the driver break through into the back.  
  
"Mr Konoha, sir? Are you sure this would a place she'd come?"  
  
He frowned and stepped towards the small grid that separated the front and back cabins. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Uh, it's a sewage recycling plant, sir."  
  
Konoha blinked in shock. "Say that again?"  
  
"A sewage recycling plant."  
  
'What would she be doing here?' Konoha sighed in disgust. "Let's check it out anyway."  
  
***  
  
"You've got to be kidding me," Konoha said, covering the lower part of his face so he wouldn't throw up. He was standing on a bridge, right over a large pool of sewage waste, consisting of a lot of unfriendly materials.  
  
"The tracker leads right here sir," a blue suited man next to him said.  
  
"Oh yes, well, do you really think she'd come here to have a nice, good old swim?" Konoha sarcastically spat. "Are you sure it's not broken?"  
  
"It's the latest in high-tech equipment, thoroughly tested," he said to his supervisor.  
  
"Not good enough," he muttered reaching out for his phone, speed dialling the G-Corps offices.  
  
The deep voice of Kazuya answered in just under two rings. "What have you to report?"  
  
"Uh," Konoha cleared his throat, crinkling his nose at the smell. "We traced the bug to… a sewage tank."  
  
"A sewage tank?" Kazuya said blankly.  
  
"Yes, Mishima-sama." Konoha bit his lip waiting for an answer.  
  
He heard a disgruntled sigh of his boss. "And how, in blue blazes, did it get in there?"  
  
Konoha cringed and turned to the blue suited man next to him, who was puzzling. "How'd it get in there, Koiki?"  
  
The man found a plausible explanation. "The bug was made to sit in the body under a temporary basis. The stomach acids would have eventually broke the casing and dissolved it. It was made so it couldn't have been passed through, uh, excretion." He saw Konoha cringe and he shrugged with no better terms to tell him. "But, my theory is, by a few test results that we have done, it could have been that her body reacted badly to it and she… vomited it back up."  
  
He went silent and Konoha feel even sicker now. "Did you hear that, Mishima-sama?"  
  
"Yes, and thank him for the biology lesson and tell him that he and the lab boys they are fired. Useless imbeciles! They should have run more tests on the bug! What if it had killed her? What pathetic morons did I hire?" He took a sharp breath. "Get back here right now, and bring that damn bug with you! I can have some of the scientists take a look over it." Kazuya hung up.  
  
Konoha twitched slightly. He wanted the bug. From the sewage…   
  
He looked down and bit his lip. He wanted someone to get it out of there. Like hell was he going to be the one to do it.  
  
He sighed and turned to Koiki. "Mishima-sama said you're fired, and the lab boys too." He turned passed the shocked man. "And can someone get some equipment out here to fish out the bug." He was met by a lot of nauseated faces. "You heard me!"  
  
***  
  
Miss Safaia entered the room just after Kazuya had cut contact with Konoha. He looked completely stressed out as she stepped up to his desk with a tray in her hands.  
  
"Coffee?" She asked, presenting it before him.  
  
"I want something much stronger then a coffee," he said, rubbing his temples.  
  
"How about I invite your little girlfriend to fix you up?" She said with a sneaky smile.  
  
He snapped his eyes up on her. "I pay you to be my secretary, not a smart mouth."  
  
She rolled her eyes up, looking innocent. "The smart mouthing is an added bonus. It comes free with the job."  
  
"You can shove that smart mouthing up your ass if you actually want to keep this job," he said with a sneer, watching her eyes go wide slightly. "You are very disposable. And I'm very sure smart mouthing would suit the job of cocktail waitress more..."  
  
"No, no, sir!" She said, nervously laughing. "I'm happy with this position. I'm much more appreciated with it."  
  
"Oh really?" He said, a chuckle slipping into his deep voice. "Appreciation means nothing, and neither does your credentials with an attitude like yours. Now, kindly remove yourself from my office before I decide to make that cocktail waitress job come true."  
  
She mumbled something in acknowledgement and quickly scurried out, much to Kazuya's amusement. 


	11. Chapter 10

Love Worth Fighting For  
  
By Indigo Siren  
  
Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.  
  
Chapter 10  
  
The day of the match has finally come. No more time to contemplate… It was all about being able to put words into action.  
  
***  
  
Miharu swapped shoulders with her heavy bag of gear; the numbness now released as her other one took the pressure. She came to the back gateway of the arena, two hours earlier that the scheduled time of arrival. She knew she had much training to do. Reaching for the handle, she jumped as she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She spun defensively, and sighed with irritation at the face she saw now in front of her.  
  
"Yamaki, don't do that!" She scolded him. "Hey - are you following me?"  
  
"No! N-no never!" He quickly said, but couldn't stop a goofy smile spreading onto his face. "Sorry, I just wanted to come see you, is all."  
  
"Well, as you know, I have a match to prepare for," she pointed out.  
  
"Oh yeah, I know, I'm coming to watch! I hear it's going to be a tough one. News on the grapevine says that Kazuya Mishima has competed in these tournaments before, and even won one!"  
  
"Uh huh, good for him," Miharu tried to brush off, hiding the fact that she was absolutely petrified going into this match. "I'll give him a run for his money."  
  
"You're so brave, Miharu," Yamaki complimented.  
  
'If only you knew…' she thought.  
  
"You know, Miharu, I was thinking… maybe in a few days, you would be interested in, uh, studying with me…"  
  
Her eyes widened slightly. Was he actually asking her to study, or in retrospect, asking her to go out with him? She let out a groan, which was not heard by the boy.  
  
"Look, Yamaki, I know your intentions and I'm flattered, really I am. But… well, it just wouldn't work out," she said honestly.  
  
"It wouldn't?" He asked, practically dropping himself directly in it without knowing.  
  
She nodded sombrely. "You're a great guy and all, but… there is someone else…"  
  
"Someone else?" He was growing more depressed by the second.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said softly, opening the door behind her. "I've been taken for quite sometime. In any other case… it would be a maybe. Anyway, I have to train. See you around?"  
  
He nodded slightly and she smiled, walking inside, the door clicking too behind her. He remained there, blinking blankly.  
  
"Miharu, taken? By who?" He wondered.  
  
***  
  
Low kick to high, two jabs to a palm thrust, set combinations of punches ending with a swift high kick. The punch bag took the toll, bucking and swinging on the squeaky chain as each burdening attack pounded into its thick exterior. The noise of each fist and foot connecting was satisfying as it heaved a sound that she could clearly pretend was her opponents.  
  
Miharu psyched herself up, working on her combinations, never wanting to be too predictable. Each hit she launched she prayed would be one closer to victory. She needed to have power, though in the case of her opponent, she needed to be quicker then more powerful. If she could move faster and strike when he was open, maybe she'd have a chance. But of course, Kazuya was a veteran of the Iron Fist circle, and had probably faced his fair share of opponents like her, as speedy and limber as they get. Maybe he was fast for his age? He was an Iron Fist champion for pity's sake! She had a long way to go to match up, but yet, she was younger and counted that age eventually pulls on the strings of the body, wearing it down. Of course, this was a theory, for a fact, he could still be as good as he was when he first competed.  
  
With fingers clenched tightly into her palm, she felt the energy build up, surging until it burned through her fingers like a raging fire. She yelled and thrust the palm forward, imagining little sparks were flying from her hand. The bag rocked wildly until the chain snapped and the heavy bag went crashing against the stone wall, sand lifting from the top into the air in a hiss that had been dying to be released.  
  
Then, all was quiet.  
  
She stood down from her stance, hands going down over bent legs as she panted, trying to catch her breath after the power she had just dished out. She'd been working out so hard, testing her limit. It was worth a lot to find out. She stood, sucking in a large gulp of air, stale with the sweat lingering in the room. Peeking up at the clock, she noticed she had forty-five minutes before her fight. Good, enough time for her to warm down and get a drink and relax for a bit.  
  
She did a few light, feeble stretches, loosening up her body. Feeling she'd done enough, she took a seat on one of the stools in the middle of the room, looking into the large mirror panelling on the wall. Her pale skin was layered with a glisten of sweat, soaking into the T-shirt she was temporarily using. The look on her own face was determined, strong, though weary as her eyes gave away.  
  
'Am I trying too hard?' She wondered, raking her fingers through her sticky hair and cringing.  
  
She needed a shower before going out, and luckily, she had packed shampoo and shower gel, Dipping through her bag, now filled to the brim not only with her fighting clothes and other items for after, she also had an array of guards for her body. Elbow pads, knees pads, extra padding for her chest. She had plenty of tap for her wrists and to keep her guards in place. She wasn't taking any chances.  
  
Grabbing her fighting gear, the shampoo and the gel, she rushed off for a quick shower.  
  
***  
  
"You have five minutes, Miharu Hirano," came the voice of one of the backstage crew, whom was checking over the clipboard.  
  
"Right," she acknowledged, and continued doing small punches at the air.  
  
"I see you're ready to take this fight on." A female voice came over her shoulder.  
  
Miharu turned and smiled. "Hi Julia. Well, not really."  
  
"I'd be nervous too if I was facing him," Another voice said and Miharu jumped and turned the other way.  
  
"Oh! Hi, Lei! I didn't think you'd be here!" Miharu said surprised, casting a glance at Julia, who looked away blushing slightly.  
  
"I couldn't miss your match. I think a lot of people are interested on how this turns out," he said, grinning. "So, where's Xiaoyu? I thought she'd be here to cheer you on?"  
  
"Oh, we've had a fall out," Miharu said sadly.  
  
"Oh?" Julia interjected. "When did this happen?"  
  
"The night when we went to the club. I'm sure we'll work it out," Miharu said, smiling slightly.  
  
"Yeah, these things blow over." Lei patted her shoulder. "Well, me and Miss Chang better go find our seats before someone decides to commandeer them. Good luck, we'll be rooting for you."  
  
"You show him what you're made of," Julia lightly punched her shoulder.  
  
"Thanks, guys," she said, giving the thumbs up.  
  
Lei mock saluted her and beckoned Julia along with him, who linked his arm, winking at Miharu as they walked away, disappearing out towards the stands.  
  
"They have more faith in me then I do," Miharu muttered to herself.  
  
"It's match time, Miss Hirano," said one of the backstage operatives.  
  
"Alright," she answered, took one more last deep breath to steady her nerves and walked towards the entrance.  
  
"Good luck," a husky whispered into her ear, and she turned quickly, searching for the individual. But she was well and truly alone in the cold corridor. Wait, was it cold before?  
  
She turned, closing her eyes, hearing the voice like and echo over and over again. She knew who it had been, and she hopped he'd be somewhere close, watching her with pride…  
  
***  
  
This was it. Finally, she had come this far, her fear pressing over her like a cold hand. She knew she had to win, or at least try, but the odds were insurmountable when staring at the man in front of her.  
  
Kazuya stood proudly across the sand from Miharu, who was trying not to meet his gaze, fidgeting and opting to concentrate on the balancing of her own feet. Crazily enough, it seemed very interesting to her now. She did however look him over, seeing him for the first time in his fighting gear. His gi pants looked silky and expensive, something you wouldn't expect him to fight in. She couldn't help but admire the fiery golden yellow like pattern flowing up the right leg. Besides that, he only wore red studded gloves and red foot guards. One thing she was afraid to keep staring at was that huge scar lining down his chest; obviously, it was rude to stare, but something about it was ominous and frightening. Anyway, she wasn't there to stare him like some statue worn by time; she was there to fight.  
  
She shook her head and heard an official call them closer together as he began reciting the rules like an automated machine. She half listened and half tried to gather her wits to pull together a strategy. She cast a small glance up at his face, curious because she hadn't seen him without those sunglasses of his on. Her jaw dropped slightly.  
  
'Oh my…' It felt like she was looking right into the fiery pits of hell. His left eye was red - not bloodshot, just a red pupil and iris combined. Redder then anything she'd ever seen. The other eye was not much better, so dark it was almost black. She shot her gaze from him, trembling in her shoes.  
  
"Alright, good luck," the official said, now finished reading the rules. He walked away to the safety of stadium barrier.  
  
'Take me with you,' a little voice inside her called. 'Don't leave me alone with this man…'  
  
Kazuya stood with folded arms looking at her, a slight smirk creeping onto that dark face of his. "Are you ready for this?"  
  
"No…" She mumbled, stretching out slightly.  
  
He chuckled hoarsely. "Honest girl." He moved his head side to side, cracking his neck loudly, enough to make Miharu sick to her stomach. "You do know I'm not going to hold back on you."  
  
"I won't hold back either," she declared boldly, wishing she hadn't.  
  
"Good." He dropped into stance, and Miharu followed suit.  
  
The announcer's system sprung to life. "Kazuya Mishima versus Miharu Hirano. FIGHT!"  
  
'Well, now or never,' that same little voice inside Miharu said and her hold body went into overdrive, running on the adrenaline created of her fear. She was fighting to survive, and to win in the process.  
  
Her speed was her greatest asset, and she was planning to use it. Moving with fluid grace, she leapt at Kazuya with a high kick, hoping to catch him off guard. Instead of a solid connection with his face, she met his arm blocking firmly, forcing her to hop back and spring her other foot around at him. He caught her ankle incoming and held it vice like, making her wobble on an unsteady foot.  
  
He smirked. "You'll have to do better then that." Her eyes widened, and she felt his hand push up with one mighty shove, nearly making her fall head over heels airborne, landing flat on her back. She flipped back up to her feet, backing off slightly, on her guard.  
  
'What power!' Her mind contemplated the action. 'He didn't even flinch when I tried to kick him. What am I suppose to do on this guy to take him down? He looks like a big stone wall.' She almost backed another pace as he began to advance on her. 'Oh no, he's coming this way…'  
  
Eyes locked, the intimidation faltered her judgement and he quickly slipped into the 'Mist Step' and moved lithely, going down then up with a crooked uppercut, lightning crackling up the arm. The raw power in the air in front of Miharu was frightening, and she had narrowly come to her senses to avoid it. That would have sure turned her inside out. She wasted no time in stepping in with a kick, thumping it into his rock like gut. He was forced back from her, looking quite surprised, but it was soon replaced by another dark smirk.  
  
"So, you truly will be worth my time…" He cracked his knuckles. "Enough of these games. Fight me properly!"  
  
'But I am!' Miharu mentally screamed, insulted that he thought she was running rings around him.  
  
He came at her with two powerful left hooks, forcing her to bring up her guard, stepping back to relieve much of the impact. The force of the punches felt like that had snapped her arms into bits. Blocking was a good idea, but not the best option if he could break down her cover. She was unable to block the right hook that came at her as she tried to side step him. The next thing she knew, she was kissing the dirt, her right side of her face throbbing like crazy, and her ears rung with a loud whine.  
  
"What the heck did he hit me with? A truck!" She mumbled, cupping her now bruised cheek. She rolled over and squeaked loudly as his foot was descending over her. She side rolled like lighting and 'California' rolled backwards, stumbling to stay at a safe distance away. But he was closing the gap; the look in his face was almost that of desire - the desire to fight. It burned in that fiery red eye. She reacted by dropping low, swinging her leg around to catch his ankle, clipping it, giving her enough chance to bring it up towards his head. But his arm shoved the leg around, and she was back turned to him, reverting to using an elbow to the midsection. The wind was pulled from his lungs and she felt her heart leap for joy though it was short lived.  
  
Kazuya breathlessly chuckled. "Too clever for your own good, aren't you?"  
  
She didn't see, just felt what happened next. It was like having tons of bricks crash over her head as his elbow slammed down on top over her cranium. She dropped to her knees, bringing an arm up to guard it feebly. If that hadn't cracked her skull, nothing could.   
  
Trying to rise was a heavy task with the aching her head was doing, but he ultimately had her meet the floor again as his leg cracked at her knees and she was sent onto her back, crying out.  
  
Looking up just in time, her hands clapped around his incoming foot ready to stomp her further into the ground. It was a heavy load, his whole body weight seemingly ready to splatter her across the sand.  
  
"Give up before it's too late," he hissed at her as he fought for the release of his foot.  
  
"I… can't…" She said lowly, her strength ready to give in on herself. She wasn't just fighting for herself, but for answers… truth and understanding. If she gave up, she'd never know the truth… most likely she'd be dead. Watching the positioning, her mind ticked over a battle plan, though the pain was clogging up most of the thought process. Finally, she had an idea.  
  
"Give me strength," she breathed and quickly side rolled under his positioning, taking the leg backwards, this time, having him balance on one foot. She shot up dizzily to her feet and yanked up and around. He didn't realise what she was doing in time to counter and he was cranked up and spun over, landing back first on the ground. He was shocked to say the least.  
  
Miharu's feet gave in and she dropped to her knees, breath shaking and tired. It had been a desperate manoeuvre and she knew she'd well and truly messed up her co-ordination. Looking up again, she almost cried when she saw him back on his feet in no time, barely scratched. What did she have to do to keep him down, drop the entire arena on him?  
  
"Nice move, I never saw that coming, though I think you wore yourself out… surprisingly so soon. Oh well, your loss!" And he performed the high spinning 'Rising Sun' kicks.  
  
Miharu was horrified as he leapt at her with such a powerful assault. Her body refused to move, and she was frozen like a rabbit staring into the headlights of a car. She tried to imagine less pain then she felt, but it was useless. She was juggled with the two low kicks smashing her midsection and slammed down with the high kick smashing at her face.  
  
The crowd was screaming around them, enjoying it to a high level, though some were appalled by the action taking place. This man, a well-trained fighter for most of his life, beating up a schoolgirl, with probably a few years of fight training on her at best - mostly what some people were thinking, rooted into their seats to see if she would be alright.  
  
Miharu ignored them completely, her body scolding from every punch and kick he had laid into her. Warmness welled from her lip and spilt a crimson line across her chin, raining onto the sand in red drops. She was suddenly aware of the coppery taste that filled her mouth, leaking from her busted lip and she rolled onto her side, coughing and spitting the blood onto the ground.  
  
***  
  
In the stands, Julia was nearly breaking the plastic cover of her seat.  
  
"Oh my God, this is really bad," she kept saying over and over. "Poor Miharu."  
  
Lei was disturbed by how ruthless Kazuya was proving to be. He didn't care who this girl was, just another stepping stone he could shatter at his will. The Chinese man but a firm hand on Julia's shoulder, but she was plainly ignoring it, hands clasped together in prayer for her friend.  
  
***  
  
"Had enough?" Kazuya asked, as Miharu rolled up slightly.  
  
Miharu was staring at her own blood on the ground, rubbing at her lip as she pushed on an arm to get her up to her knees turning eyes on the man.  
  
"N-No… I won't give up… not yet…"  
  
"Suit yourself," he coldly said, walking over to her. She tried to scoot back out of his attack range, but it was too late and his foot drove into her ribs. He was close to satisfied hearing her scream. She rolled away from him, curling up with arms around her midsection, holding back the tears. He continued to walk towards her. "Get up if you are going to fight. I will not make this any easier on you. I'll treat you like any other bastard fighter…"  
  
When she failed to move on his wishes, he grabbed her arm and dragged her up with no problem and she cried out in pain. He held her up, the grip on her arm bruising.  
  
She rose a hand and slapped him across the face. For a moment, a pause, before he turned back, looking royally pissed.  
  
"For the last time… Will you give up?" He hissed lowly.  
  
She pulled on the grip slightly, lapping at the blood on her own lip. "I'll never give up to you…"  
  
"You're a foolish child, wasting your life without purpose…"  
  
His leg cracked her in the back of the head sending her forwards, but she was still held there. Looking up, she was just in time to see the leg reverse direction and careen with her face, with a force like no other, the pain excruciating. This time, he did let her go, and she was back on the floor once more.  
  
***  
  
"MIHARU! STAY DOWN!" Julia cried to her. "IT'S NOT WORTH IT!" But her pleading was obviously being ignored as the auburn-headed girl was once more battling to stand on her own two feet. "NO, MIHARU! PLEASE STAY DOWN!" Her hands cracked the plastic of her seat, and she was suddenly rising up, watching Kazuya lift the girl up, and quickly tossing her over his shoulder. The thud of the girl's body was sickening.  
  
"YOU MONSTER!" Julia screamed, charging for the barricade, wanting to get involved with the fight. She had to save the girl from this beating.  
  
"No, Julia!" Lei yelled behind her, trying to catch her as she jumped over a few of the front seats. Before she could make the barrier, a swarm of security caught her.  
  
"You can't go in there!" They were yelling at her, holding her back.  
  
"LET ME GO! DON'T YOU SEE WHAT HE'S DOING!" She was screaming at them.  
  
"Stand back, Miss! Take your seat or be removed," the head of security was roaring into her ear over the crowd's ruckus.  
  
"Just try!" She hissed, ready to hit him when she was pulled back by Lei.  
  
"Stop Julia," he said softly.  
  
"Aren't you seeing this? AREN'T YOU!" Julia screamed at him. "She's a kid… she isn't experienced… HE'S GOING TO KILL HER! NOW LET ME GO!"  
  
But he refused to remove his hold on her. "You'll cause more harm then good getting in there! You could get hurt yourself! It's Miharu's choice what she does. You know the rules of the Iron Fist Tournament."  
  
Tears were streaming down the native girl's face. "YOU DON'T CARE IF SHE DIES! SHE'S GETTING HURT IN THERE! YOU JUST DON'T CARE!"  
  
"Of course I care!" Lei protested, shaking her. "But this isn't our fight. You'll dishonour yourself and Miharu. She chose to risk everything. With every fight there is a chance to be hurt badly… but we have to take it."  
  
"Honour is nothing if you're dead," she said weakly, breaking down against him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "I can't watch this anymore. I can't watch him break her."  
  
Lei comforted her, eyes on the match with concern. "We have to wait and see, for Miharu's sake."  
  
***  
  
Kazuya stalked around Miharu, who was slowly moving up on the floor, refusing to stay down. Somewhere deep inside, he hated to do this. He knew she wasn't as well trained as himself and as many of the fighters in the tournament, but she had a true burning spirit for it. It would be a true shame if he had to snuff it out…  
  
He could hear Julia Chang's screaming in the stands with her conviction to get involved with the match up; as if it would do any good. He ignored her, looking down on the small opponent, rising up carefully, heaving breaths in her lungs. He sighed and kicked her chest, forcing her back down.  
  
"Do yourself a favour, just lie down and accept defeat," he told her.  
  
She shook her head, trying to form words, but was too busy trying to breathe properly. He turned away from her, knowing she was no threat to him, looking out to the crowd as they picked up in a roar of anticipation. He could feel every their life thriving on the fight's progression, except one… one particular that flared out different then the others. One that touch him in a way that felt personal, that felt a part of him… of flesh and blood. He couldn't see him, but he could feel his son close; the essence of the devil gene reaching out with invisible lightning, crackling over him. He didn't falter from the coldness, only smiling to himself in acknowledgement of the presence.  
  
"Am I breaking your little girlfriend, Jin? Do you hate me for inflicting so much pain on her?" He chuckled. "She was begging for this… all of it. She's a fighter this one… it would be a shame to kill her…"  
  
The invisible lightning suddenly picked up like a thunderstorm, the air ready to ignite around Kazuya, who just basked in it, the sense of being so close to what he reasoned belonged to him was so enticing. He turned from the crowd, looking at Miharu, who was gasping, hissing 'no' over and over, shakily trying to get up again.  
  
Kazuya grumbled something and turned to an official, pointing down at Miharu. "She's finished. It's over."  
  
"NOOOOOOO!" He turned as she sprang up at him, with every ounce of strength she had left; though it be little. He intercepted her charge with a roundhouse kick swiftly to her face, and she was spun in waves of blackness to the ground, moving very little.  
  
He approached her; his face set stone cold. "I've had enough of you!" He rose his foot directly over her head. "Take with you the thoughts that at least your spirit stood out against me." And he brought his foot down for a final blow.  
  
"SPIRITS HAVE MERCY!" Julia was screaming towards the centre of the arena.  
  
Lei just sat there, unable to look away.  
  
Everything missed a heartbeat… words passed, screams roaring in the air… but then…  
  
"Kazuya…"  
  
He stopped, his foot just above Miharu's face.  
  
He knew that sweet voice. "Jun?"  
  
And he was suddenly backing off from the girl, seeing a light over-print of the woman he once loved staring at him from over Miharu. She gave him a soft, sad look before melting away, leaving Miharu's pale, battered face turned up weakly to him, though she was responding very little.  
  
Kazuya blinked, for a moment, thinking he was going crazy. He looked around at the now quiet crowd, whispers now and again hitting the crisp, silent air. He turned back to Miharu and resided, leaning down.  
  
"You're lucky I didn't crush you where you lay," he said softly, the words meeting her ears like a far off call as the darkness took her and she lay still with unconsciousness.  
  
An official carefully came over, checking over Miharu then turning other officials and shaking his head and making signalled for medical help as he ran backwards towards his fellow workers.  
  
"And the winner by knock out. Kazuya Mishima!" The radio announced, and after the long spell of silence, people actually began clapping and cheering again, though maybe a partially strained.  
  
Officials were rushing over to attend to Miharu, first aid packs and a stretcher in close tow. But before they could reach her, Kazuya stepped in the way, staring at them with such an icy glare, it could have melted them all into the ground. They stepped back from him, afraid of what the first King of Iron Fist would do.  
  
Now satisfied he wouldn't be swamped by officials, Kazuya turned back to Miharu, standing over her for a moment before bending down and carefully lifting her limp form in her arms.  
  
"You were watched by an angel today," he whispered to the unconscious girl. "You're very lucky to be favoured by Jun Kazama." He cast a look to the officials as he back to part their crowd forming, walking towards the back area with Miharu in his arms.  
  
***  
  
"Miharu? Wake up child…"  
  
"Hmm, huh? Where am I?" Her eyes opened to a blackness that enfolded her and she was suddenly overcome with a cold dread. "What? Am I dead?"  
  
"No, far from it… you live…"  
  
"Jun, is that you?" Miharu asked.  
  
"Yes, it's me," the voice answered a small light appeared in front of the Japanese girl, growing bigger until it formed the beautiful woman in white, now accompanied with flowing, wide, white wings. "You've fought well, though the road is hard, you will overcome all obstacles…"  
  
"But I lost, didn't I?" Miharu asked, sadness in her voice.  
  
"I'm afraid so. But fear not, your quest for truth is not over yet, in fact it's just beginning…"  
  
"It… is?" Miharu wasn't sure anymore, lying there in the eternal darkness with this beautiful Japanese woman as her light.  
  
"Keep searching, you'll find your answers…" Jun whispered and the light grew blinding, forcing Miharu to shield her eyes. When it grew dimmer, she looked back to the light, her jaw dropping.  
  
"Jin…"  
  
He was smiling, so angelic, just like his mother; and now, he had those beautiful white wings. He reached a hand out to her and she was compelled to touch him, her arm not feeling like a lead weight like it had been from the fight. Touching her hand to his was like melting into the softest of silks, heart in the safest keep.  
  
"I failed you…" She whimpered, but he shook his head to this.  
  
"No, you never did. You'll find you answers… soon enough…" He whispered.  
  
"I hope so…" She said, and watched the darkness in engulf him as she settled back into the peace of the black. 


	12. Chapter 11

Love Worth Fighting For  
  
By Indigo Siren  
  
Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.  
  
Chapter 11  
  
It was the smell of plastic and bleach that met her when consciousness finally set in. Miharu's eyes were overwhelmed with streams of light as she opened them slowly to the genial room she was in. After flinching against the brightness, she finally found she could look around without straining, and at first, all she could see was the white of the ceiling. She lay there, confused and numb, trying to get the feeling back into her dead weight body, and now again, feeling parts of her were useless lumps. She shifted slightly, and the plastic-like gown she was wearing rustled over her form as she tried to sit up and only managing to half do it. She hissed slightly at the tug of an IV in her hand, truly knowing where she was now. She finally tried to access herself from her position. Her right arm was resting in a sling, with a bandage over her shoulder beneath; also, her wrist was wrapped in a special pad, restraining most of her movements with the hand. Under the covers, she could feel a bandage wound tight around her torso and her left ankle. Of all the numbness she felt, her head was like the biggest dead weight on the planet.   
  
She sighed weakly and looked around the hospital room, which was just your average, plain recovery suite, with white tiled walls to every corner. The window above her head let in a glow, which seemed to reflect brighter on the white, cotton curtains. The room was almost scant for furniture. There was a black wheelchair in the corner just behind a large curtain, a leather covered chair by the bed and a small white cupboard beside her, which was decorated with get well cards, a large vase of purple blooming flowers and a small teddy with balloons. She smiled at them.  
  
'At least I'm loved,' she thought.  
  
The oak door opened to her right and she peered up. A Doctor entered, his face brightening to see her curious eyes blinking his way.  
  
"Ah, I'm glad to see you awake, Miss Hirano. I'm Doctor Kou, and I've been put in charge of helping you on a speedy recovery," he said, picking up the clipboard at the end of her bed.  
  
"What day is it?" Miharu inclined to ask, feeling she'd been out more then a few hours.  
  
"It's Thursday, and the time also is…" He checked his watch. "Twenty to one."  
  
Her eyes widened, well, her left one anyone. "Thursday! That means I've nearly been out a whole day!"  
  
"Yes, you have," he said and stepped around the bed, now holding the clipboard. "I'm sure you'd be interested to know the extent of your injuries."  
  
"It's not too bad, is it?" She paled at the thought of being messed up.  
  
"Not as bad as we first thought, but you've got yourself a nice few bruises to deal with." He took a seat in that leather chair beside her, setting the clipboard on his lap and resting interlocked hands on the bed beside her. "Well, to start off with, when we brought you in, you had a hyper extended shoulder, which we popped back into place first off. Your right wrist and left ankle were sprained and will be swollen for a day or so to come. Your ribs have been bruised, though luckily none were cracked. You may feel a bit light-headed with the painkillers we've given you, and the fact you received a concussion. That's what has pretty much kept you out for so long, but we think that with plenty of rest, you'll be fine in no time. You've got a few scratches and bruises on your legs and arms, which I say will take a day to come and go, though, you have a nice bit of bruising on your face and over your right eye, which may take longer to disappear. However, with a bit of make up, it won't even be noticed. You had a slight cut on your lip, but it tricked us a bit with how much it bleed, but in only took a few hours for it really to settle down from the swelling it had done."  
  
"It's like your describing a punching bag," Miharu groaned.  
  
The Doctor chuckled slightly. "All in all, only the concussion really had us worried, but I'm sure a tough girl like you will recover quickly from it. We have had you on an IV for precaution, but I think you'll do fine without it."  
  
Miharu nodded slightly, though it felt like her rock like head was bobbing like a ball on the surface of a lake.  
  
He did a routine check up over her, checking her pulse and blood pressure, which all seemed to be normal.  
  
"You've had people in and out seeing you over the course of yesterday afternoon and this morning. An interesting bunch of people. And I was quite surprised to see Mr Mishima, the CEO of G-Corps come and visit you."  
  
Her heart skipped a beat. "Kazuya Mishima?"  
  
"That's right. He was your opponent, yes?" She nodded. "He brought you the flowers."  
  
"Oh," she said, looking up at the beautiful buds.  
  
"You still have someone here visiting you, but she's gone to the coffee machine. She came to tell me you were stirring," he told her, packing up his equipment. Miharu just nodded in answer. "Also, your father will be in again later, he told me to tell you for when you woke up."  
  
"Okay, thank you." Miharu shifted again to get more comfortable.  
  
"You rest up now. You don't want to be lumbered here for long," Doctor Kou said, and opened the door. "I will check in on you in a few hours."  
  
"Bye," she said, and he disappeared out the door into the bustle of the corridor. She looked up at the flowers again, still in shock that the man that had beat her up, actually had given her flowers. What a strange world they lived in.  
  
The door opened again, and she was shocked to see Xiaoyu step in, a coffee in her hands.  
  
"I'm glad you're awake," she said, though it was rather bland.  
  
"Thanks," Miharu said, following it with a weak smile.  
  
Xiaoyu took the seat the Doctor had been in and set the coffee on the cupboard.  
  
"You know who the cards and bear are from?" Miharu asked.  
  
Xiaoyu bent forward to look at them closer. "I remember Julia bringing the bear in this morning, and two of your cards are from her and Lei. I brought one and so did Steve, who could only drop by for a few minutes."  
  
"Oh," Miharu answered, and they room went silent from idle chit-chat, with Xiaoyu picking up the coffee to sip away. Miharu just stared to the foot of the bed, thinking of what to say to her friend. Well, she couldn't stay quiet forever. "So… why are you here?"  
  
"I came to make sure you were okay. No crime in it," Xiaoyu answered sharply, but refrained from it, looking up at the window. "I came close to the end of your match. I saw how brutal it was and when Kazuya carried you to the back, I just had to see you, but they were loading you into an ambulance when I finally got down there."  
  
"Kazuya carried me out!" Miharu was almost struck speechless.  
  
Xiaoyu nodded, sipping away at that drink. "I guess he felt inclined to, though I don't see why, it was only moments before that he tried to kill you."  
  
Miharu went quiet, letting her good hand play with the hospital sheets. She couldn't stand how quiet it was getting, though she didn't look up to Xiaoyu as she spoke. "I thought you hated me? Why did you bother coming if you do?"  
  
"You don't know how angry I am at you, Miharu," she said, her voice rather low, like the calm before the storm effect. "But when I saw that, I just wanted to see you okay. I would never wish death."  
  
"It's a petty situation, Xiaoyu," Miharu said, watching the girl's eyes narrow slightly. "Don't look at me like that! You know I'm right. So? Maybe I did go out with him, and you know the reason I didn't tell you was because I knew you'd act just like this. All jealous and spiteful."  
  
"Can you blame me?" Xiaoyu said, her voice raising.  
  
"Yes, I can. I hoped I could trust you to be more of a friend then a rival, then it would have been alright." Miharu sighed. "I'm not just any other girl at our school, Xiao, I'm suppose to be your best friend. Should I have to fear telling you these things? How can it be that Yumi, Mika and Rubi understand, and you can't… I just don't get it…"  
  
Xiaoyu looked down. "Y-You knew I liked him."  
  
"I know, and for a fact, I wouldn't steal him on purpose!" Miharu told her. "You wanted me to be friends with him, and to understand him, and I did, and then I started liking him just like you and the girls. And he liked me back." Miharu clenched her lip, trying to stop the tears. "Is it that wrong for me to love him and have the love returned? Is falling out with me over him so worth it? He's not here anymore, and that's the punishment all over. So you can stop your hate of me, because I've already got what I deserved with heartache. I just wanted you to be happy for me… but I was so afraid to tell you because I wanted us to stay friends. I value it so much."  
  
Xiaoyu watched Miharu turn her head to the other side; gently whimpering and letting tears run down her cheeks. It got the Chinese girl going with the waterworks.  
  
"I'm sorry… I'm just sorry…" Miharu said. "I can give you more than that."  
  
Xiaoyu took a breath, calming her shaking voice. "I know…" She put her hand on Miharu's leg so not to touch her bad shoulder. "I'm sorry Miharu. It's just, after everything you said about him, it just seems so hypercritical. You understand that, right?"  
  
Miharu nodded slightly. "Yes, and it makes me feel worse. If I could change things I would… but I can't change the fact I love him, and feel like I'm broken without him…"  
  
Xiaoyu nodded, wiping away her own tears. "I'm sorry, really I am. I guess I'd have never got him anyway, and I'm glad one of us did."  
  
Miharu turned back to look at her, now with reddened eyes. "Xiao, he was the best thing that ever happened to me. And through all the problems and pain, he just made me feel like I could climb any mountain to do what I wanted. I… I miss him so much…"  
  
She cried, all her heart break slipping out, just as bad as it was two tears ago. Xiaoyu could only sit there, feeling guilty and ultimately sorry for her. Xiaoyu put her hand carefully over Miharu's and petted it soothingly, feeling her relax slightly to that touch.   
  
"I will be a little bitter about it for a while… but you know, I am happy for you," Xiaoyu said softly. "I feel bad that you were scared to trust me. I want you to be able to and you'll be able to tell me anything."  
  
"Thank you," Miharu whispered, the tears beginning to slow, her voice coming through the deteriorating sobs. "Friends?"  
  
Xiaoyu smiled. "Friends."  
  
They reconciled in a short silence of smiles and a careful hug, which had Xiaoyu swapping to the other side of the bed to do. This was before Xiaoyu checked her watch and cursed.  
  
"I'm sorry, Miharu, I have to get going to train for my match. It's later this afternoon. I just wanted the opportunity to come check on you again."  
  
"Who're you up against?"  
  
Xiaoyu blushed, though she sighed sadly. "Steve."  
  
Miharu made an 'oh' sound and smiled at her. "Got a thing for him."  
  
Xiaoyu laughed, covering her face. "Well, he is hot after all!"  
  
Miharu winked with her good eye. "You better go get him before he gets snagged."  
  
"Hopefully we won't beat each other up too hard, and it might work out," Xiaoyu said, grinning. "Now as for you. You'd better rest up and no more tears, not over him. You have to get better, not make yourself worse. And gets some beauty sleep, because seriously-" Xiaoyu motioned her head to the bruised side of Miharu's face. "You need it."  
  
The Japanese girl stuck her tongue out. "Get out with you! Cheeky!"  
  
Xiaoyu returned the gesture. "I'll see you tomorrow if I'm okay."  
  
"Alright then, bye!" And Miharu watched another person leave her alone in that bright, white room.  
  
About half an hour later, a nurse came in with a selection of food for to choose from. Miharu was famished but decided to eat lightly as she didn't feel that great to stomach much food. Also, the nurse brought her a radio to listen to, since she had no form of entertainment in the room with her. During and after eating, she was listening to the latest pop songs, though some didn't even deserve to be called music. She eventually grew bored of it and turned it off, welcoming the silence. It was then the door opened, and she thought it would be the Doctor coming early, but she got a pleasant surprise.  
  
Yamaki stood in the doorway, a small smile of his face, relieved to see her okay. Miharu blinked and returned the smile.  
  
"Hello, Yamaki," she said as he came in, shutting the door to, putting a card and a box of chocolates on the cupboard.  
  
"I brought them for you," he said and took a seat.  
  
"Thank you," she said, settling back comfortably. Miharu suddenly felt she couldn't get comfortable, seeing a certain sadness in the boys eyes. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I… I was thinking about when you told me you were taken…" He said. "… But I've seen you with any boy. I'm… just curious to know who it is."  
  
Miharu stared at him, seeing the desperateness in knowing, wanting to know why he wouldn't have been good enough for her over some other boy. Little did he realise who it was.  
  
She took a deep breath. "Jin Kazama."  
  
He stared at her, jaw slackened. "The… third Iron Fist champ!" He looked down at the bed covers and then back up at her. "He went to the school with you before, right?"  
  
She nodded. "Yeah he did."  
  
His face was that of sheer disbelief. He gave her questioning eyes. "But how can you be taken, he's been missing for two years."  
  
"We were dating," she said, looking up to the lighting fixture on the ceiling for distraction. "And I've never wanted to give him up. I don't want to date someone else… just in case he decides to come back to me."  
  
"Do you think he will?" Yamaki asked.  
  
Miharu's eyes went to the sheets as she fiddled with them. "I don't know."  
  
Yamaki sighed; one that sounded like it had been pent up. He had risen and had started pacing back and forth at the end of the bed, wondering what to say or to even do. Miharu watched him, lost for words.  
  
"You know, though it sounds cruel of me, but I think you're living on a false hope and you should just forget about him. You're only stranding your heart…" Yamaki said, finally stopping, resting his hand on the bar of her bed. "I just wish I could mean something to you. You're just the most amazing, talented beauty in our school."  
  
If Miharu's face hadn't been so bruised up, she'd have been full on crimson, though her good cheek did display a fair amount of blush.  
  
"I'm pretty much a sight for sore eyes at the minutes," Miharu said, chuckling.  
  
Yamaki shook his head. "You're beautiful no matter what." He came further towards her, which seemed a bit intimidating to the poor girl in the bed. "I was so captivated by you, I just wanted you to find something in me that you would like."  
  
"You're a nice boy, Yamaki," Miharu said honestly. "Handsome and perfect, but…"  
  
"I know, you're still pining for Jin Kazama." Yamaki turned away, hand clenched into a fist on the bed. "I don't think I could ever compete with the hold he has over your heart."  
  
"I'm sorry," she said, though it felt pathetic coming from her lips.  
  
He shook his head, looking back with a slight smile. "It doesn't matter. You don't need to be sorry for anything. You're a very thoughtful girl to be honest and not lead me on or anything. I respect that… I just…" He took her hand. "I wish that we could have met sooner… maybe then I could have stood a chance."  
  
"Yeah…" Miharu just said, looking into his eyes and almost losing herself again to tears; ones of guilt.  
  
He released her hand and stepped back. "Well, I'd best be going. You better take care now and I hope to see you back at school soon."  
  
She nodded. "Yeah, I will. Thank you for coming."  
  
"No problem," he said, giving her the thumbs up. "See you later."  
  
"Yeah, later," she said, watching him depart and sighed. "Is it my daily job to piss people off at some point?"  
  
***  
  
The Doctor had checked up on Miharu again, and she had felt a little less light-headed then before. He had taken her off the IV, now sure she didn't need it. He told her she'd be spending at least four more days in hospital unless he decided otherwise. She agreed, though she wanted to go home desperately.  
  
When her father arrived, he had brought Hanii along, who was tearful when she got in the room. She had been just as worried as her father had. After nearly been coddled and drown in lectures of why she shouldn't compete in dangerous competitions, she was finally cut away from them when visiting hours ended. Saying goodbye to her father, she had a nurse help her to the disabled showering while she was too weak to stand up by herself, and was helped to wash up, ignoring how embarrassed she felt. She kept insisting she would be okay, and now again, the nurse would mill in and out to give her some privacy, but kept close because of how unsteady Miharu was on her feet. After the escapades with the bathroom, she was given another dose of painkillers, and the effect of them finally sent her off into a deep sleep, just as the night rested over the hospital.  
  
The night shift duty were pretty much dealing with any cases that were being rushed in and anything else that was important. Miharu was fine and asleep and left alone… though, she wasn't alone for long.  
  
The closed curtains fluttered and slowly settled back into place after a figure slipped through the open window, carefully hopping down over the bed onto the chair, sitting there, watching the sleeping girl.  
  
Jin's heart raced in his chest. The injuries that he could see, lit gently by the glow emanating from the moon shining behind the white curtains, had his blood boiling. How could his father have been so cruel against such a smaller, less experienced opponent? He knew he'd never truly understand why.   
  
He rose to lean on the side of the bed, watching her chest rise and fall in a calm rhythm.  
  
Here she was, after so much hiding away from her, this is where his lover lay - injured in a hospital bed. And he couldn't do anything to stop it. He had remembered the match as a nightmare that flowed through his mind in constant reminder. He'd always looked out for her in her matches, though he safely kept his distance incase she became a target in trying to get to him, though he feared that scenario had happened anyway. His heart had screamed at him as he had watched his father brutalise her. His devil… yes, that dark, dirty devil gene had sprung to life, ready to tear from his body, in a powerful rage… though all he could do was stand helpless, fighting the urges inside him. He had been surprised that his father had pitied her after attempting to kill her and had carried her from the arena. Something had stopped him, and it was when he had suddenly smelled a faint hint of cherry blossoms on the wind. The scent of his mother.  
  
His fingers touched the unscathed cheek of Miharu, feeling the warm skin, something he hadn't done in a long time. Miharu gently stirred, but was trapped within her deep sleep, oblivious to his presence. He watched her, his heart aching for her love to protect him. But it was better for her to be asleep and not see him… safer then anything. He had to avoid being seen, and opted not visit her in normal daylight hours. He knew he was only tormenting himself and the sweet sleeping angel before him, but it was the only way to keep them both safe.  
  
He felt like he'd break down, just looking at her, denying himself the chance to truly love with everything that had happened. All the betrayal and the retched curse of his family were keeping him from living a normal life. But then, he didn't think life was worth living as what he was. A demon.  
  
He carefully put his forehead to hers, closing his eyes. "I love you, Miharu. I always will…" Carefully, he brought his lips to hers, lightly kissing them. A tingle ran through his body as he did, finally doing something he had wanted to for two long years. Now he felt whole.  
  
He leaned back, bringing a hand to his wrist to untie the strings of a band he had brought while hiding in Brisbane. It was made of soft leather, patterned with symbols of joined lightning, just like the tattoo on his arm. He'd had it especially made. He took it and tied it to her left wrist, holding his hand over it, never wanting to leg go of her.  
  
"There is so much I want to tell you," he whispered, stroking her arm. "But I'm afraid to let you know, in case you got hurt."  
  
He could suddenly hear someone giving a soft whistle as they were walking down the corridor. It was his time to leave. He quickly bent him and kissed her on the forehead, clambering towards the chair.   
  
"Goodbye…" He whispered, disappearing the way he came, with the curtains flapping back as a sign of his departure.  
  
*********************************************************************************  
  
A/N: Well, that was at least close to a scene you'd all been waiting for! 


	13. Chapter 12

Love Worth Fighting For  
  
By Indigo Siren  
  
Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Xiaoyu took a bite out of the sweet, creamy bun she'd been staring at on her plate for the past few minutes, contemplating whether to wait for Miharu to arrive before tucking in or just go ahead and eat. The latter ruled over as her stomach cried out in need.  
  
Miharu had only got out of a hospital a few days ago and that had been nearly a week after she's ended up in there in the first place. She'd not been to see her since the day after her match. That dreaded match she'd had with Steve Fox. And what had she gone and done? Underestimated her opponent and ultimately lost her match. He was a great guy in her books, a good sportsman and very good looking, but still she was slightly bitter and depressed about the whole situation. Inviting Miharu out days after her release sounded a pretty livening idea, and the Café Macaron seemed the perfect place.  
  
Another bite of her cream bun filled the hole of her lost dreams, of that amusement park now so far away once again.  
  
The chime on the door of the café sounded and the Chinese girl's eyes went up and spied her friend on the other side of the room trying to spot her. She waved frantically and Miharu finally saw her, making her way over.  
  
Miharu looked pretty good for coming out a pretty brutal fight. Her face was returning to a normal colour, though that was thanks to some make up obviously too. She did slightly limp with her ankle, as it still looked to give her some grief. She may have been a little on the tender side, but she was sure as hell not showing it.  
  
"Hi, Xiao," Miharu greeted and took a seat opposite her friend.  
  
She swallowed some of the bun and smiled. "Sorry I started without you. Want me to get you a bun too?"  
  
"Oh, no thanks," she said, and flipped through her bag to get her purse out. "But I wouldn't mind a coffee."  
  
"Alright." Xiaoyu went to order from the counter, as there was no waitress in sight when needed. Soon, both girls were sat down with steaming mugs filled to the brim and settled into their seats.  
  
"Been under close watch after your release, have you?" Xiaoyu asked, knowing that Miharu's father and Hanii had decided to keep her safe guarded in bed for a day or so.  
  
Miharu huffed, remembering the annoying speeches she received at home and how she was nearly taped to the bed, though she insisted she was fine to move about. "You wouldn't believe it. Terrible, just terrible. Especially Hanii. She doesn't need to be blood to act like a mother to me."  
  
Xiaoyu had to smile. "Well, at least she cares."  
  
Miharu sighed, and smiled too. "True, true." She sipped her coffee and a soft moan of satisfaction came to her lips. Coffee truly at its best.  
  
"So…" The Japanese girl spoke after a moment. "You said you'd got some news for me that you just couldn't tell me over the phone, and you had to drag me all the way over here."  
  
Xiaoyu gave her a cheeky look, all in good nature. "Good for you to get some exercise. Speeds up the healing process." She sipped her drink and carried on. "And anyway, the big news is too big for any little telephone conversation."  
  
Miharu raised a brow over her mug as she sipped. "Oh?"  
  
"I'm officially moving out of the Mishima Mansion," she declared to a suddenly quite surprised Miharu.  
  
"Really?" This was shocking news. Who'd want to abandon the lap of luxury? Well, Xiaoyu had been bored with this oh so perfect life these last years. Maybe this would be a good thing. With the Mishima run empire being so tedious lately, it seemed a safer option for Xiaoyu to move out.  
  
"I've decided to get a small job and have my own place. Mishima-sama agreed and he's letting me have some money, saying that he knows I'd be responsible and prove I can make some good of myself. And my parents are giving me money too. I have it all set out, until the end of school that is, then, I don't know. I may end up leaving the country. I know I want to study abroad."  
  
"Wow, way ahead of yourself there," Miharu commented, proud that at least one of them had thought ahead. It seemed she, compared to her friend, and was a little lost in which way she wanted to go with her life.  
  
Xiaoyu just nodded and took a sip of her drink. For a moment, she lost herself in a thoughtful glimmer, which Miharu noticed, tilting her head to look at her. When the Chinese girl noticed this, she sat up, blinking.  
  
"You seem to have a lot on your mind," Miharu said, leaning an arm onto the table. "Anything you want to talk about?"  
  
Xiaoyu pulled a quiet unsure face and decided just to go ahead and say what she had to say anyway.  
  
"Well, I didn't want to bring this up, but I guess I couldn't keep it a secret. It's… about Jin."  
  
Miharu was all ears. "Jin? What about him? What do you know that I don't?"  
  
Xiaoyu sat back, crossing her dainty legs beneath her chair. "Well… I saw him the day after my match, when I was sitting out back of the arena. I managed to catch him up, but he was very quiet, he wouldn't talk to me properly, or even to turn to look at me. It was quite creepy. All he said was, 'Do the right thing and make sure you keep your friends safe.' Isn't that just so weird? And in a way, I think he may have been talking about you."  
  
Miharu tapped the table carefully, thinking. "Well, you never know…"  
  
"And I'm not done yet. He was suppose to have a match against Kazuya Mishima yesterday, but it was cancelled for no apparent reason. Rumour has it that Jin has gone missing."  
  
"What? How'd you know that for sure?" Miharu inquired, a little more edgy then she'd have liked to have been.  
  
"Miharu, it's spreading like wild fire back in the locker rooms. The fighters are talking about it and the Zaibatsu employees aren't talking, aren't denying it."  
  
The seriousness in Xiaoyu's eyes definitely showed she believed that he'd really disappeared, and that something fishy was going on. Miharu didn't want to believe it, and she doubted very much that she'd have luck finding him herself to cap these rumours. It seemed to be getting more dangerous, and guessing so, it would be everyone's best interests to keep their noses out.  
  
'I just wonder what is going on… I just wish I could do something…' Miharu thought.  
  
"Lets hope for the best," Xiaoyu took a big gulp of coffee, leaving a bit spot of froth on her nose.  
  
Miharu's eyes gleamed with amusement. No way was she going to tell Xiaoyu and ruin the moment.  
  
***  
  
"Hey, Miharu, I'm glad to see your looking better," Julia Chang greeted as the aforementioned girl and Xiaoyu appeared outside the hotel where the tournament fighters were staying.  
  
"I'm so glad we caught you," Xiaoyu said. "Miharu just wanted to pop along to say hi."  
  
Miharu smiled. "Thanks, Julia. I just wanted to get to see your because every time you went into the hospital, I was either asleep or somewhere else. Ironic really."  
  
Julia nodded. "Oh well, It's much better to see you out of that place."  
  
Xiaoyu finally noticed a few bags in her hands. "Oh, Julia… are you leaving?"  
  
"Oh, well, I'm beginning to pack up. Now I'm out of the tournament, I'm not going to stick around for much longer, though I do have some business to take care off myself with the Zaibatsu."  
  
Miharu frowned. "You got knocked out the tournament? I've really not been keeping up. It's this head of mine, still not right."  
  
Julia smiled faintly. "Yeah, afraid so. Lost to Jin Kazama. Had my match the morning after Xiaoyu's."  
  
Miharu's eyes widened. Did Julia know where Jin had gone?  
  
"I hear he went missing," Julia said thoughtfully. "No idea with that one."  
  
Miharu sighed. That answered that question. Xiaoyu gave her friend a soft, assuring look.  
  
"Oh, that reminds me. Miharu, Jin had a message for you strangely enough." The Japanese girl looked very curious and obviously surprised. "He knew we talked, so he wanted to pass on this message. Oh… what was it? Oh… umm… AH! Yes, I remember. It was, 'Stop your search, keep your distance. It's only for the best.'"  
  
Miharu's jaw dropped. She knew was it meant and her heart cracked. He didn't want her and was keeping her at arms length, even throwing her away into a lost void of emptiness. Xiaoyu's arm snaked over her shoulder in understanding and comfort. Miharu just stood quietly.  
  
Lei stepped out at that moment, looking pretty preoccupied and nearly ran into them.  
  
"Oh! Uh, sorry ladies," he apologised quickly. "Umm, Xiaoyu, have you by any chance seen Steve Fox?"  
  
"The last time I saw him was last night when he took me out for a drink, his way of saying goodbye," Xiaoyu said. "He got knocked out the tournament the day before last by Paul Phoenix. A real shame since he didn't have many days between matches."  
  
Lei let out a soft his in distress. "Damn, I may already be too late."  
  
The three women exchanged glances.  
  
He shook his head. "Don't you worry. Just something I have to sort out. Anyway, I have to go. Hope I see you all around."  
  
"You too," Xiaoyu said, as the man departed their company. Julia sighed and the younger pair looked at her.  
  
"Always rushing about, and being so God damn secretive," the native girl muttered. "Oh well. Anyway, I'll see you two later. Business won't take care of itself. Bye you two."  
  
"Bye," they said, though Miharu seemed a little lost with her words, more or less drifted away in thought. Sad thoughts of Jin.  
  
***  
  
Xiaoyu had tried to cheer up her friend for the rest of the day, but it seemed everything she did or said meant nothing, though Miharu kept saying that it was touching that she cared and was a true friend.  
  
Miharu was now walking alone that evening after leaving Xiaoyu at the driveway of the Mishima Mansion. And here she was, dragging her feet sadly; glad she wasn't making Xiaoyu feel bad in any way now.  
  
So lost in thought, she didn't hear the care tires of a limo come to a halt beside her. A hand took her arm and she was suddenly dragged inside the vehicle, which then continued its journey down the road. It happened so quickly, it was as if the whole world blinked to it. There one minute, gone the next.  
  
Miharu was laying across a leather seat, grumbling under her breath at the aching of her body, thought now, fear began to register as she became aware of her new surroundings, trapped at the mercy of some stranger. She listened to the hum of the limo moving as she looked up through the dim confines within, coming eye to eye with Kazuya Mishima. Her heart almost stopped.  
  
"Hello, Miss Hirano, I trust you are doing well?" He said, a small smile playing on his face.  
  
'Someone have mercy on me,' Miharu's insides whispered as she visibly shook under the stare of this man. He could crush her in an instant and she knew it. She'd felt his strength and cowered without thought.  
  
"I'm sorry for this little… meeting so out of the blue, but it was urgent that we were to meet." He moved on that squeaky leather seat, leaning forward to her. "My son has disappeared as you might know, and I would really like to know where he has gone to?"  
  
Miharu just shook her head, at the moment, unable to speak.  
  
"Come now, I'm not going to hurt you, our match is over," he said; though his words were still like a deadly whisper to her. "I just want you to be honest. Tell me where he is."  
  
"I… really…" She tried to bring the words to her, but she was shaking.  
  
"This is getting tiring. I've felt him close to you, I know you know something…" His words trailed and his eyes went to her wrist where he saw that lightning band Jin had slipped onto her in the hospital. He could feel the marking of his son there. "You're only making it harder on yourself."  
  
Miharu's insides burned like crazy, with things that she wished to scream out. And finally, she decided she couldn't take it.  
  
"I DON'T KNOW!" She yelled at him, lips suddenly clenching together and her eyes averting. "I… don't…"  
  
Kazuya sat there in silence, instantly registering something beyond anger.  
  
A tiredness that just covered her over like a blanket.  
  
"He doesn't…" She began but pulled off, unable to finish. What could she add that wouldn't give her away as having a former tie to Jin? Nothing. She'd wanted to say that he wanted nothing to do with her, but that implied and in this case, implication was deadly.  
  
Kazuya paused for a moment, face dark and he was suddenly looming over her. Her first reaction was to peel back and press hard into the far corner near the door, flinching in case he struck. His hand came at her…  
  
… And lay gently onto her shoulder. Her eyes watched him like that of a scared rabbit. His dark face turned to something gentler, if it could be described as that.  
  
"He is not in contact with you… that I do believe. You have given that away with your emotions."  
  
She could imagine his eyes digging into her soul, seeing the answers he need. He was a powerful man, and anything seemed possible with him.  
  
"You do realised you've been watched the minute you entered this tournament. No one has been safe from the eyes of the Mishima Zaibatsu," he said coolly. "Heihachi would have known if you and Jin and had been conversing. He'd have made you both pay the price, even to an extent of drawing each other's blood. Though I know the old man is not stupid, and he knows you will be a tool to him. That's why I warn you now, Miharu Hirano, people are not blind to your connections with Jin, even if it has taken to digging into things about you that you have never known could be opened to anyone. You must stay safe and aware of everyone. Wherever you go, sleep, breath… live… they'll be watching from afar. You've walked into a deadly game. I hope, for your sake, you survive."  
  
Miharu just stared at him and jumped as the car came to an abrupt stop. Kazuya moved away from her and opened the door.  
  
"I believe this is your stop," he said softly and she watched him carefully, slipping to look out and finding she was surprisingly outside her house. She didn't question how he knew.  
  
"Yes… well, thank you," she murmured and stepped out.  
  
"Have a good night, Miharu," he said and shut the door, the limo instantly pulling away.  
  
She stood on the curb left wondering about her situation. It suddenly struck her to look at that band on her wrist.  
  
Ever since she awoke in the hospital from her first night, it had just mysteriously appeared there. She'd stared at it long and hard, something about it that seemed so familiar. The pattern, that of the crossed lightning…  
  
'Could it have been from… no… I don't believe it…' She turned away from it, though deep inside, a voice was screaming at her to believe it. She plainly ignored that voice that pained her and looked into the night sky, so clear and crisp.  
  
Life was getting more and more dangerous, and she knew, it was going to only get worse for herself. 


	14. Chapter 13

Love Worth Fighting For  
  
By Indigo Siren  
  
Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.  
  
Chapter 13  
  
It was the last day of the accursed King of Iron Fist Tournament 4. Nobody was sure who'd gone into the final to face Heihachi, either that being Kazuya Mishima or Jin Kazama, the latter not being ruled off with his whereabouts being a mystery… but then again, who was to be sure what was going on. The tournament had been dangerous to understand from square one.   
  
To enter was to die. A slow painful decline to nothing.  
  
***  
  
Rubi, Mika and Yumi stood with their backs to the wall of the youth centre, awaiting Xiaoyu's return. Around them, people were coming and going with food and decorations for the evening bash that was going to sweep across Tokyo with the results of who won the Iron Fist tournament. Everyone was in anticipation, just hanging on an excuse to party their brains out.  
  
"Wow, everyone is really taking this seriously," Mika said, eyes following a group of people carrying baskets of alcohol down the road.  
  
"You wouldn't believe it," Rubi put in. "It's just totally crazy."  
  
"You should see the central high street at the boulevard." Yumi whistled. "It's totally streaming with lights."  
  
"I don't think they did this the last time around…" Rubi said, trying to think back to two years ago.  
  
"Oh, they were more exclusive club parties. But this year, everyone is taking to the streets. And best of all, we can join in without having to break any rules!" Yumi grinned and took Mika's hands, swinging the girl around. The pair laughed in unison.  
  
"Hey, Xiaoyu's back!" Rubi said, breaking up their little dance. She waved to the Chinese girl, who rode towards them, pulling her bike to a stop at the pavement edge. The three girls went over towards her.  
  
"So, any luck in finding Miharu?" Mika asked.  
  
Xiaoyu shook her head sadly. "Not a trace. I've been to her house twice. The first time nobody was there and when I went again, her dad was in but he said she'd gone out this morning. I've been to all the obvious places." She began to count them off on her fingers. "The water gardens, the back end of the school, the woods, Tokyo City Central, The mall, The Park… where else can I look?"  
  
"It's strange how she can just suddenly disappear like this," Yumi commented. "But then again, yesterday when she came out with us, she didn't act herself."  
  
"It's this Jin thing…" Xiaoyu mumbled.  
  
"What?" Yumi turned to her.  
  
Xiaoyu looked between the three. "It was the other week when Jin sent a message through Julia to Miharu which pretty much told her to leave him alone. I don't understand why he just doesn't speak to her or any of us for that matter. Poor Miharu."  
  
"She probably just wants to be alone. I guess we haven't been helping with all the boy hunting we've been doing." Mika shook her head. "And now she can't even console herself to talk to Jin. He disappeared remember."  
  
"Though, I've heard he's suppose to be in this final match up," Xiaoyu said. "Everyday the former competitors are talking about the fixtures, moaning and such about how they could have beaten the remaining people. And then I hear about Jin being in it today. You know, I don't know who to trust for my information."  
  
"Well…" Rubi patted Xiaoyu's shoulder. "Come on. We can't just hang about here. Lets backtrack to all the regular places again and see if we can't find her. I don't think she could have suddenly left Tokyo so quickly, and for a fact, she didn't jump off the face of the Earth…"  
  
***  
  
How long had she been walking circles? Minutes? Hours? It didn't seem to matter as long as her head was clear.  
  
Miharu looked up at the darkening blue sky, hands stuffed into the pockets of her fleece. She's thought maybe over this last week the heaviness of her heart would lessen, but it seemed to just get worse, as she kept hearing news about Jin, here, there and everywhere. She didn't want to care anymore, but she did. How could she not? She'd heard earlier today when some people were discussing the finals that Jin was one of the people there.  
  
How can he, she thought, when he's missing? Or was he? Maybe hiding again… from her.  
  
'No! Stop it! No more!' Her mind hollered and she fought to change the subject.  
  
Once the tournament was over, she knew she'd feel a whole lot better. Well, hoped anyway.  
  
The minute she had got up that morning, she knew she couldn't face her friends, and she had done her best to avoid them, and so far, it was working. She'd been to places that she'd never been before, even gone to watch Yamaki's soccer match. He'd seen her there and she knew he'd been shocked. She waved at him and nearly distracted him from the match. She was praying he didn't take it as a sign that she wanted to go out with him now. So she wouldn't have to follow up on a difficult encounter, she'd left the match just before the end.  
  
After an hour or so of street wandering, she'd found herself walking the path of the park, the most familiar and calming place she knew of. Of course, she hadn't gone there to start off with, as she knew her friends would instantly think to look for her there.  
  
She was surprised to see the park abandoned, though, she did think it was all to do with a city wide celebration of the ending of the King of Iron Fist tournament. It had been a big influence over everything, and the media was sure going to get a kick out of it too. Heihachi Mishima was going to show off as much as possible; most likely sure he was going to win the tournament.  
  
Well? What did it matter now? She'd failed in what she was suppose to achieve and was now lay on the park hill edge, looking over the city in a thoughtful silence. Her eyes began to droop tiredly as she stared down towards the many blinking lights.  
  
'I wonder…' She considered, stifling a yawn. '… If Jin is okay… Whatever he is planning to do…'  
  
***  
  
Anger… Hate… Curse…  
  
Anger… Hate… Curse…  
  
Anger… Hate… Curse…  
  
No way to escape, trapped in a void of endless torture of his soul…  
  
Jin was trying to fight, but there was nothing to fight against, nothing that he could even reach out and touch. All he could do was listen to the taunts and laughter of the man he should have called 'father'. It was he who passed on this curse to him, this darkness that would haunt him for the rest of his life.  
  
"Wake up, Jin Kazama!"  
  
That harsh voice snapped him from the darkness and he found himself into a torch lit dojo, suspended by chains from the support beams at the back of the room. He pulled at the chains as hard as he could and they broke, sending him down onto the hard wooden floor. He kneeled, choking as he tried to breathe, his body burning. He could feel that darkness within him trying to break free, but he knew he was stronger now and could keep it at bay… if only for a while.  
  
He looked up at the man ahead of him with narrowed, angry eyes. Kazuya Mishima stood before him, arms folded, waiting for him. This man, one he's never got to know, and he could feel a darkness around him that was more powerful then anything he'd felt before. He knew he couldn't let him live with such a darkness.  
  
"You… if only you were dead. If I kill you… I will end everything…" Jin spat, suddenly up and charging the man. The fight had begun…  
  
***  
  
The land was dead. Parched of water and cracked beyond redemption. It was a dusty brown that showed clearly that it was void of any kind of life.  
  
"What happened here?" Miharu mumbled, walking this deadened landscape and looking around her at the emptiness.  
  
She continued to walk on, dismayed by death at every turn, and cringing at the crunching sound under her feet, that was like that of broken glass. She jumped as thunder erupted in the sky, the sound so close it almost knocked her off her feet.  
  
Crimson lightning lit up the black sky, streaking like blood across a dark palate.  
  
"It's a dream… all a dream…" She said to herself, kneeling to touch the ground. It just didn't feel real to her.  
  
Whispers in the air could be heard from a distance drawing closer towards her. She stopped any movements and listened carefully. She rose from her position, carefully and slowly, turning to the direction of the voices…  
  
… And jumped as slick, silver creatures, made of a thick oil like substance rushed around and past her, hissing together as they rose up into that black sky. She looked up, mouth agape as she remember those things from one of her earlier dreams.  
  
The ground made a crackling sound as she snapped her head down, and screamed as bony arms began reaching up at her. Without a second thought, she was running like crazy, not daring to turn back or look down as the cracking sound was chasing her, more arms rising as bodies were pulling themselves free of this arid territory. All around her, bodies rose up, taking to the air, screeching like banshees. Every creature that began to either rise from the darkness or materialise out of nowhere seemed to be pulled towards the sky.  
  
Miharu was panting, completely overcome by horror at the whole scene bursting with a new sense of life that was dark and incisive. She tripped on a pile of rocks in her path, and fell onto that dry, hard ground. She cried out, and pushed herself up to sitting, ignoring the pain.  
  
In front of her, she could see the faces of people see knew, calling out to her with breathless voices.  
  
Xiaoyu… Rubi… Mika… Yumi… Her father… Hanii… Yamaki…  
  
Each face soon disintegrated and was sucked towards the dark sky, which suddenly split in a large, white line. Miharu went rigid, staring at this widening crack in the sky. She didn't know if she could escape what was coming next…  
  
All the evil that had been there had come together, and from that crack of light burst a distorted winged demon. It was a large shadow creature, as black as the darkest night. It roared in anguish, turning two gleaming red eyes down on Miharu.  
  
Her eyes widened into two scared orbs. Never before had she seen anything so terrifying, and the evil it was letting off was incredible.  
  
Its roar died down as it looked at her, watching her trembling body with interest. It reached out one of its large shadowed claws towards her.  
  
Miharu shook her head and screamed, arms flung up to protect herself.  
  
"NO! NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!"  
  
That dark clawed hand stopped above and didn't attempt to even touch her. It just hovered there. She watched it, breathing hard, shaking uncontrollably. She could see it watching her, maybe even with sadness.  
  
The air was hot and stifling, so hard to breathe. It had been as if the darkness was taking away the oxygen, taking away what was last of the life. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she gasped for breath.  
  
"Why are you afraid of the dark?" A sweet voice came from behind her and Miharu turned, feeling a blessing coolness, relieving the burning in her body. Jun Kazama stood before her, and where she stood, a patch of springtime grass had grown.  
  
"I… I don't understand…" Miharu managed to say.  
  
Jun just smiled, and approached her, coming to kneel down, taking Miharu's shoulder. "You know, the darkness isn't always bad. What you think is evil, maybe good trapped behind a guise."  
  
Miharu watched the woman's face as she turned to look up at the eerily silent shadow demon, still smiling.  
  
"It's okay…" Jun said to it. "… She just doesn't understand. But she has a heart full of kindness and love…"  
  
It made a sort of moaning noise and with a flash, it was gone and the world had become a much greener place, happy and alive.  
  
"Do not give up hope, Miharu," Jun said. "In time, things will be understood. You will see things like you've never done before. And remember, you may see something that is covered in darkness, but ask yourself, is it truly evil?"  
  
Miharu nodded and closed her eyes, filled with a calm serenity. Jun's touch was so relaxing and gentle, and somehow secretly beneath it, was passing on messages of knowledge.  
  
And right there and then, Miharu began to understand things.  
  
"Miharu?"  
  
This time, it wasn't Jun's voice and Miharu jumped, opening her eyes.  
  
Xiaoyu fell backwards onto her rear as Miharu shot up towards her. The latter blinked incoherently, coming back to reality. She was still on the park, sat on the grass, but now, it was dark and sky was filled with twinkling stars.  
  
"It took us ages to find you," Xiaoyu said. "We were wondering where you had got to."  
  
Miharu sighed. "Here and there."  
  
Xiaoyu shuffled onto her knees and touched her friend's shoulder, just like Jun had done to her in her dream. It felt reassuring.  
  
"Are you alright?" Xiaoyu asked.  
  
Miharu slowly nodded. "I will be."  
  
Xiaoyu could do nothing but just nod too before standing, pointing off down the hill. "Come on, the others are waiting for us. We have a party to get to."  
  
"We have?"  
  
Xiaoyu raised a brow at her friend. "Yeah. The tournament is over."  
  
Miharu was shocked. "It is? Who won?"  
  
"Jin did."  
  
"He did!" There was even more shock for the Japanese girl.  
  
"Yeah, that's what's going around," Xiaoyu confirmed and helped Miharu to her feet. "Come on, lets go."  
  
"Um, yeah, okay," Miharu said, following her friend, thoughtful about Jin winning. She was happy for him, but she wished she could tell him she was. She was afraid… that he'd disappear again. And this time… forever.  
  
***  
  
Music thumped through the air, as loud as it possibly could, as people celebrated the end of the tournament. Nobody really cared who won, they just celebrated it anyway… well, except some of the former competitors, who just hung around to get drunk.  
  
The whole of Tokyo was lit up in spectacular colours, so bright and bold, it should have glowed all the way across space and back. It looked like nobody was going to sleep tonight.  
  
Rubi, Mika and Yumi pushed their way through the crowd, with Xiaoyu following up the rear with a quiet Miharu, who had to be careful not to be pushed around too much as people barged by her.  
  
"THIS IS SO GREAT!" Mika shouted out as she spoke to Yumi.  
  
"WHAT?" The other girl said, unable to hear over the music.  
  
"I SAID, THIS IS SO GREAT!" She repeated.  
  
Yumi lip read instead and nodded vigorously, giving the thumbs up. She turned to hook her arm through Rubi's as they continued through the find a place to get drinks. Rubi beckoned Xiaoyu and Miharu to follow as they disappeared through crowds of people.  
  
Xiaoyu had to drag Miharu to keep up, who didn't seem that excited to celebrate, even for Jin's sake. He'd won the tournament, but it didn't make her feel better.  
  
'I'm still alone.' Miharu sighed inwardly.  
  
***  
  
The celebrations went on, and the girls hung around listening to the music, eating and drinking as much as possible. Miharu grinned and bared it, standing aside and drinking some lemonade. Xiaoyu was occupied with talking to Julia who was on her way back to the hotel to get her things to prepare to leave on her plane in a few hours. It was pretty tearful goodbye between the two, as Xiaoyu kept begging Julia to stay a bit longer though she knew she couldn't. Miharu finally got to hug Julia after Xiaoyu had let her go.  
  
"You take care of yourself, you hear?" The older girl said.  
  
Miharu nodded. "I promise."  
  
Julia nodded and wiped her eyes, adjusting her glasses. "Well, I hope to see you again."  
  
"You too," Miharu said.  
  
"Goodbye, Julia. Don't go for too long," Xiaoyu said through her tears.  
  
Julia smiled lightly, calming down. "I'll visit you, or you visit me. Let's see what happens."  
  
"You'll see Lei again, won't you, Julia?" Miharu suddenly decided to ask.  
  
Julia turned to her. "Yeah, he's over in New York at the moment. He hopes to wrap things up soon and come visit me in Arizona."  
  
Miharu gave a small smile. "Good luck to you both for your future plans."  
  
And thereafter, Julia left them. Xiaoyu perked up a bit when the other girls got her dancing. Nobody was afraid to dance tonight in the streets.  
  
Miharu watched dejectedly, feeling she wasn't having any fun at all. That was when she decided she'd had enough. She drank the lemonade, put the plastic cup in the bin and went to Xiaoyu.  
  
"I'm going now," she said in her ear.  
  
Xiaoyu turned sadly. "Why not stay longer?"  
  
Miharu shook her head. "I'm tired and… I just feel I need to sleep tonight off… if you catch my drift."  
  
She knew Xiaoyu did as she nodded. "Okay, I understand. Have a good night, Miharu."  
  
"You too," she answered before drifting around the crowd, managing not to get trampled as she got to a clear strip to start her walk home.  
  
It had cooled down considerably since she'd walked into the centre of Tokyo, and she was now precariously keeping her fleece together as she tried to hunt some bus fare out of her pockets. She thought it would be quicker and safer to bus it, but it was quite a walk to the bus stop yet though it would be worth instead of freezing to death.  
  
She'd pretty much left the crowds and places of population. She was now in a long stretch of empty road which led on for a quite a bit yet. She could hear the music and crowd far behind her, leaving it behind as she continued on, glad to be alone once more.  
  
Though asking to be alone for long on a night like this was too much to ask. She jumped as horde of dark cars screeched to a halt beside, and partially on, the pavement beside her. She turned, covering her eyes from the blinding headlights, just making out suited men climbing from the cars.  
  
"Miharu Hirano?" One of the men asked, stepping away from the blinding headline to reveal a stern looking blonde. She recognised the logo on the suited men. It was of the Mishima Zaibatsu.  
  
"Y-Yes," she said, no longer just shaking from the cold.  
  
"We'd like you to come with us." He wasn't asking, it was more of an order.  
  
"Why?" Miharu inclined to ask.  
  
"It would be best you ask questions later," he merely said.  
  
She held her ground. "No, I want to know why you want me to go with you."  
  
Men were starting to move in on her, especially this blonde, whom was doing most of the talking. "We have reason to believe you are in league with Jin Kazama. You are holding out vital information in a serious situation. You will come with us now."  
  
She knew she had to get out of there. "I don't know what you're talking about! I have got nothing to do with him."  
  
"We'll take you by force if necessary," the blonde said, not even hearing her out.  
  
A hand grabbed her shoulder from behind, and she immediately reacted with unimaginable speed, to take that offending hand and twist it, flipping the person over.  
  
"Stop her," someone said and Miharu was suddenly faced with men coming at her from all directions.  
  
She ducked a pair of arms ready to grab her and quickly pushed a man forcefully from her path as she took off running. She screamed as a bullet hit the wall beside her and she instinctively covered her head with her arms.  
  
"You idiot! We need her alive!" She heard that blonde shout. "Go after her!"  
  
She didn't slow for an instant, fearing for her life. Footsteps were heavy and fast behind her, and urged her on, ignoring the burning in the back of her legs.  
  
'Someone please help me…' She prayed.  
  
She felt one of them slam into her back and she fell with her hands out to stop her fall. Barely after she hit the ground, she'd side-rolled and low kicked the man who slammed her, as he was about to dive onto her. He tripped and fell into the roadway. She snapped up to her feet and 'Cloud' kicked the next closest of her pursuers.  
  
Seeing her chance to get away again, she ran straight for the side of building, thinking it was a short cut…  
  
… But instead, it was a dead end.  
  
She stared at the tall, brick wall, in dismay. She ran to take cover behind a dumpster.  
  
She heard the click of a gun and gulped silently.  
  
"Come out now and you won't be hurt."  
  
'Like hell I won't…' Miharu narrowed her eyes. It was a fight or flee situation, and the flee option went out the window when the brick wall was introduced.  
  
She surprised the group of men covering the entrance of the alley as she leapt up over the dumpster, bounded on the top and performed a kick straight into them, toppling them like pins in a bowling alley.  
  
She was about to attempt to run again when she met the butt end of the blonde man's gun, straight to the temple. The world did a double take and she was suddenly sprawled on the concrete.  
  
"Get up you fools," the blonde said to his comrades. "She's nothing but a weak child. We've got her now."  
  
Miharu's head was spinning, she couldn't see straight, and her vision was starting to cloud. A very bad sign that she was losing consciousness.  
  
"I'm going to die…" She whispered aloud to herself.  
  
She could feel them advance on her, ready to grab her…   
  
… That was until a cold wind swept the alley and a sound swept through that had their skin prickling to goosebumps. It sounded like a harsh growl, breathy and deep. It didn't sound like one of the men. In fact, it didn't even sound human. Her fuzzy eyes looked up at the wall at the back of the alley. It had a dim light shined onto it, but over that was a large shadow. Human shaped, but with large wings.  
  
It was as if her dark dream was about to happen.  
  
"What the hell!" She heard one of the men say.  
  
There was a lot of shouting after that and the sounds of guns firing. She couldn't move to see the action. She was completely immobilised. She assumed that after suffering a concussion from during the tournament recently, that she hadn't fully yet recovered, and now she was suffering badly after taking this latest blow to the head.  
  
She wished she could see what the hell was going on.  
  
An eerie red light flashed in the blink of an eye and a roar followed, echoing through the alley. The sounds of gunfire started to deplete, instead, replaced by blood-curdled screams and horror blinded cries. Flesh was being torn to pieces, bones broken with load, stomach wrenching snaps. A man's body flew straight over Miharu - well, what was left of it.  
  
It was over as quickly as it started. One final cry lifted in the air and echoed into nothing. All went deadly quiet, except for the hoarse breathing of the inhuman being standing just a head of Miharu, looking down onto her.  
  
She was fighting to stay awake, listening and waiting, hoping she wasn't going to die too. Her heart raced as she heard it step towards her, stopping at her back. She was cowering under it's shadow, unable to do anything to stop it ripping her to shreds.   
  
But it didn't do that.   
  
It hesitated for a moment and then kneeled down to her, reaching out to brush her cheek.  
  
She felt long nails carefully moving the hair from the side of her face. It was warm, almost boiling hot. The world was beginning to dark, and she finally realised she couldn't hang on to consciousness much longer.  
  
She would have jumped it she could have moved as it put it's arms under her shoulders and her legs, picking her up. She hung limply within the warm grasp, her head tilted back.  
  
She could hear the wings spread with the ruffling sound of the large feathers in the small breeze, and suddenly, they both left the ground.  
  
The scenery was moving fast around her, making her head spin even more, and she raised her head the best she could to look up towards her saviour's face. But it was at that time she finally fell into darkness and her face pressed to the warmth of a bare chest, that last feeling, as she was carried through the night. 


	15. Chapter 14

Love Worth Fighting For 

By Indigo Siren

Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.

A/N: I am most sure you readers will like this chapter. Well, go on then, read away!

Chapter 14

The night was filled with boisterous sounds, singing out like a strange melody that could only be heard if you really listened. Dogs howled at the loud sirens of police cars as they screamed by and the urgent cries of car alarms bellowing off in the distance. Far off, the traffic seemed to bleat in an endless fury as the festivities of the early ours were dying down, and the city was racing to escape the night, wishing to welcome the slumber it well and truly needed.

All this went on behind a pane of glass that separated a small apartment from the outside world. Inside this quiet room, Miharu began to awake to the faint buzzing of those sounds that resided outside. She was disoriented, eyes not yet adjusting to the dark, and the fact her head had gone fuzzy didn't help matters in the least. She groaned, cringing. Her skull felt like it was going to explode from the inside out. She was glad to feel the softness and warmth of the bed she was lying on, though, it was too spongy for her liking. It was with this feeling that she knew she wasn't in her own bed.

She tried to remember what had happened to her, and at first, she couldn't think, her mind still willing to sleep, but she forced herself to recall the events that had transpired. Like a blurry slideshow, images kept popping in and out of her head, some too fast for her to grasp, but after a moment, she finally began to pull all the pieces together. The men from the Zaibatsu - Heihachi Mishima's men - they'd been there, wanting to take her away. She'd run, doing her best to escape them, even having to physically defend herself. She remembered distinctly the blow to the head, with a twinge of pain backing up that memory. She'd thought she'd been done for; but then, someone had come to her aid. Or had they? She was too damn confused to think about who was doing what and why; it was getting to a point where she didn't know who was on which side, and whether she was on the right one herself.

Her last fleeting memories were of being picked up by this stranger and flown away. After that, everything was completely blank. Though, the blank part wasn't worrying her, it was the fact that whomever had saved her had actually been able to fly.

'Okay, lets not panic…' She thought. 'There has got to be a logical explanation…' She groaned again. 'But being logical right now is not a good thing…'

Now that she had gained her bearings, the darkness had become much clearer as her eyes had become fully adjusted. The only light that reflected into the room was from a flickering neon sign on the opposite building, which glimmered through the window against a half-drawn curtain. She would have moved around a bit more, but at the moment, her body seemed to not want to follow her commands, and another part of her was fearful of where she was.

She lay there, contemplating what to do, and also wondering how long she'd been out for. It was still dark, and she didn't think that it could have been over 24 hours. It still had to have been the day of the last tournament, or, the early hours of the morning following. Now that she had established this, is time to get back to the matter at hand. Where was she, how was she going to get home and where was the person who'd saved her?

The first two items were going to be pretty hard to find out at that time, but when she heard a half-tired murmur from a dark corner of the room, she figured she'd get to meet this person. Question was, did she want to?

She listened, frozen on the bed like a statue. The breathing that carried through the darkness was heavy and scarily raspy. There was just something about it that wasn't normal. She guessed her own groans must have brought them out of their half sleeping state. She swallowed quietly and let her head drift to the side away from the sounds of shuffling movements on the creaky floor and the deep, throaty breathing. She closed her eyes, trying to stop herself from shaking as the person moved towards her.

There was a sudden break in the sound, and she could feel through the darkness that she was being watched. She had been composed so far, but the minute a warm hand graced her cheek, she jumped out of skin, leaping up on the bed. It was a bad move, as she felt a sudden dizziness swing and she was suddenly lying on her back on the floor. She scrambled, uncaring if her body was moving too fast for her brain to comprehend. It was only a few seconds later she was standing awkwardly with a lamp from the dresser in her hands, holding it as if her life depended on it. It was a pretty stupid looking weapon, but she didn't care. The person, from what she could see in the dark had backed up, still shrouded in the shadows. Miharu had to admit it was a strange shaped person. She was glad her sudden actions had scared them off, and at least she had a good bit of distance between them.

"Miharu…"

She didn't move a muscle, her head reeling as she listened to that voice. It was so deep and dragged like a low growl, but something behind it seemed familiar to her.

"Miharu, please, put the lamp down."

Her eyes widened. "Jin? Is that you?"

"Yes," he replied lowly.

She frowned. "Jin, it's so dark in here." She looked down at the lamp in her hands. "Let me turn on a light."

"NO! DON'T!"

But it was too late, she flicked the switch and the room suddenly lit in a soft glow of amber. She blinked so her eyes would quickly adjust, though when they did, she got the biggest shock of her life. She'd expected to see the boy she'd missing seeing all that time ago, so perfect and normal; but what she was seeing was far from normal. The minute she caught his eyes, she thought she would die in complete horror. They weren't the soft brown ones she was accustomed to, but a pair of glowing red orbs that looked as if they could burn holes right through her. His strangely darkened body, tainted with dark markings was suddenly leaping over the bed towards her. She was quickly backing up, trying to take in this new form of Jin, but her mind wouldn't accept it, especially staring at the man she loved who now adorned two, large, black feathered wings.

"TURN OFF THE LIGHT!" He yelled at her, that deep voice full of urgency.

She screamed sharply, as his clawed hand suddenly smashed the lamp from her grasp, obliterating it against the wall. The room was once again in darkness. In the next breath, Miharu was on the other side of the room, facing the wall, her hand covering her mouth.

There was a tense pause between them, with Miharu daring to look around, but her heart was still running well ahead of her with the fear not to. Jin was crouched next to the bed, watching her shuddering frame. He didn't know what to say to her, or for that matter, do. All he could feel right now was a sense of fright coming from her, putting him off slightly from doing much. He finally bucked up the courage to rise to his feet.

"Miharu, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry…" He said, waiting for a response from her, but as he expected, she still faced away from him, trying to slow her breathing. He approached her carefully, as not to alarm her any further.

Miharu finally removed her hand from her mouth, regaining some calm. She didn't want to turn around just yet, maybe when her brain would start accepting what she'd seen. Though, she didn't get a chance to think anymore as Jin's hands carefully came onto her shoulders. She jumped slightly, but only from surprise. As long as she didn't look at him just yet, maybe she'd be all right.

"I didn't mean to frighten you, I'm sorry," he murmured. She could feel the rumbling of that deep voice reverberate from his chest with him being so close against her back.

"It's okay," she managed to say. "I just wasn't…" She couldn't carry on after that.

"You weren't expecting what you saw. I guessed," he said and sighed. "I wished that you didn't have to see this yet."

"Why hide it longer then you need to?" Miharu silently counted to three and turned around in his hold. Some light from the outside reflected onto him, but not much, but just enough to make her stomach tie in knots. She did her best to keep her face blank as she looked up into his eyes. The red burned bright in the dark, and it made her feel even more scared then she wished to be.

He's face turned to that of sadness looking at her, but he knew there was no more beating around the bush. Avoiding her had been hard, but this was going to be harder, but she needed to know.

"Maybe you should sit down," he said as softly as his hoarse voice would permit.

How could she say no? She barely nodded, having to hide her startled gaze as she saw fangs as he spoke. She returned to the bed, sitting herself on the very edge. Now sitting in the direct centre of the light, as he came to kneel in front of her, he was completely illuminated in the soft glow coming from the window. His bangs had grown the length of his face and hid most of his expression in response to her uncomfortable look, but she seemed able enough to keep her eyes firmly locked on his, managing to be brave. He carefully took her hands in his, gently rubbing them. She didn't react to the grazing of claws against her hands; he was just being so tender with her that she didn't care.

"I didn't want to leave you," he said, filling the silence between them. "But I had to. There was no way I could let you see me… as this." He looked away from her, towards her soft hands instead.

"How did you… end up like this?" Miharu asked carefully, drawing his attention back to her face.

"It's a part of me. My blood is cursed, because of my father and his bond with a devil. It was passed onto to me…" He deeply wished this would all go away, so he wouldn't have to explain this to her, but he continued besides the nagging in the back of his head. "It was only realised at the end of the third tournament. I destroyed Toshin, but it wasn't what my grandfather wanted, and he had his Tekkenshu shoot me down. But what added insult to injury was when my grandfather, MY OWN GRANDFATHER, shot me in the head."

Miharu's mouth dropped open. "He shot you in the head! How can you be alive?"

"I don't understand myself," he said honestly. "But in killing me, he triggered this 'Devil Gene' inside of me, which I guess is a fail safe for when I'm severely injured. It revived me, but in doing so…" He rose up, releasing her hands, gesturing himself. "… This happened. And ever since then, I've had to live with this. In two years I've learned to control it the best I can. I'm even at a point where I can stop the change at an early stage when it occurs… but tonight…" He knelt to her again, hands leaning on her legs. "… Seeing you being attacked… being so helpless, just sent me crazy and I lost control."

She watched him shake his head, her heart welling with pity.

"You see, this is why I never tried to contact you. I didn't want you to be with a monster," he said, his voice nearly failing him. He moved away from her, sitting on the floor, head down with shame.

Miharu shook her head. "Jin…" She slid off the bed, down to her knees, inching towards him. "It doesn't matter to me what you are. You're still Jin Kazama."

He's head snapped up. "Of course it matters to you! I saw the look on your face when you switched on that light! I heard you scream!"

She sighed. "Jin, of course I'm going to react like that. I've never seen you like this before. It was a shock. But can you blame me for screaming when you're leaping at me, looking as if you're going to kill me?"

He sighed. "I guess not."

Miharu sat ahead of him, finally coming to grips with what she was looking at. She was looking at a man, trapped with a curse that ravaged his blood, making him into a demon. But it didn't bother her as much now as it did before. Hearing his voice, feeling how gentle he was with her and listening to the pain from his heart, she knew that she couldn't turn away. She just knew this was the same man she loved. She bit her lip, carefully reaching her hand out to his face.

He froze, watching her mindfully as she brushed the bangs from his face. He gave no resistance as he watched her expression change to a much calmer state. He was even shocked to see a small smile appear on her face.

"You're not a monster. You're still the same handsome Jin I remember," she said.

He was astounded by her certainty, and how she seemed to have changed from such a scared girl, to a bold and understanding young woman.

Now he remembered why he fell in love with her in the first place.

She carefully traced his face with her fingers, watching with intrigue as his eyes closed, a soft moan escaping his lips. She moved her fingers to run over the pattern that was depicted on his forehead, following it until she was tracing the red jewel in the centre. She turned her attention to those large wings of his, her hand moving to the left one and rubbing the soft feathers.

He opened his eyes to see what she was doing, watching her play with the feathers on his wings with curiosity. Strangely enough, it felt nice and he let out a relaxed sigh.

"You're like an angel," she muttered.

He scoffed, wanting to laugh at that, but not in anyway wanting to offend her. "Far from it actually."

She shook her head; not listening to him as her hand traced the firm structure of the protruding feather limb. He even stretched out the wing to its full large span just so she could take a look.

"It may look fun to have wings, but believe me, its not," he said, drawing her eyes back to his.

She just shrugged, sitting back. "Well…" She lost herself in thought for a moment, finding the right words she wanted to say to him. "… What do you plan to do now?"

"I don't know," he merely said.

"You won the tournament," she said. "Isn't the Zaibatsu yours now?"

"I don't want it," he plainly said, standing up.

"But, Heihachi will stay in control if you don't take it," Miharu said, standing with him.

"He's a washed up, weak old man," Jin spat. "He doesn't have long left anyway. Besides, I don't want to have to deal with his crooked organisation."

"But he needs to be exposed!" Miharu exclaimed.

"Once he's dead, it will be, and the Mishima Zaibatsu will fall apart." Jin turned towards the window, staring out. "No more greed and evil once it is gone."

Miharu just watched his back for a moment, wishing she could persuade him to go take the Zaibatsu for himself, instead of leaving it to Heihachi, but what could she say? He was so sure that it would all unfold on it's own.

"Why didn't you kill him?" She suddenly asked.

It was a short pause before he turned to her. "I wanted to."

"Then why didn't you?"

Jin sighed. "Because it would have made me as bad as him and my father."

Miharu sat back on the bed, unsure of what to do or say next. Jin just stood there for a moment, before letting out a frustrated growl.

"I can't concentrate to change back," he muttered. "I tried to revert back but my body refuses to."

She got up to join him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He looked down on her, unsure whether to wrap his arms around her.

"Maybe it will happen on its own," she suggested, shrugging slightly.

"Maybe…" He softly said, finally letting his arms envelop her, with no protest.

"You know, I really missed hugging you," Miharu said, so quietly, he barely picked it up.

He couldn't help but smile, closing his eyes and leaning his head into hers.

"I only ever got to do this in my dreams… and then you'd always leave me, all alone…" She felt the tears began to prick in her eyes.

He stroked her hair with sympathy. "I wanted to be with you, I swear."

"You are now…" She whispered, tears trickling down her face.

It was then in the calmness he felt a rising warmth take over him, enough to make him gasp. He stepped out of Miharu's grasp, red lightning crackling up his form. She watched in fascination as the features of his devil side disappeared, and those large wings melted to nothing more then dispersing, black smoke.

He was finally human again. She was finally glad to lock eyes with his normal chocolate coloured eyes, but her heart ached when she saw the sadness within them.

He turned away from her, leaning onto the window ledge. "My life's a mess. It doesn't feel like worth living anymore."

"Most of us have screwed up lives." Miharu went to lean next to him. "I'm one of the unfortunate people who gets a long run of bad luck."

A faint smile came to his lips, if only for a second, before he looked distant and full of longing. "I really wanted to end the Mishima bloodline. Not only for myself, but for everyone else. It's not even like blood, more like an acid that destroys everything. I should have killed my grandfather… but… my mother stopped me."

"Your mother!" Miharu turned surprised.

He nodded. "She came to me for a second before I could strike a final blow. The look in her eyes was enough to melt me. The sadness I saw made me feel a disgrace to the Kazama name." He turned to look at Miharu. "She is the only thing that keeps the good part of me going. Her memory is so strong inside me. She always made me see the good in all the bad things, even in people. She doesn't want me to go on with this hate. Just love and peace…" He shook his head, leaning down slightly.

"Your mother was in my dreams…" Miharu said, going back to flop on the bed.

This caught his attention and he was up straight, looking over at her. "She was? Are you sure it was suppose to be my mother?"

"I'm sure of it," Miharu claimed. "You had some resemblance." She smiled lightly. "She was beautiful. She was so graceful and so delicate looking. She had fairly long, flowing raven hair with a white band on her head. And she wore this white dress, which I must say was really nice. And her eyes, I remember them best of all. They saw no evil. Jun Kazama represented everything beautiful and good."

Jin stood there, absolutely stunned. Miharu was describing a woman she'd never truly met… his mother! It was shocking. But why would she visit Miharu's dreams?

Jin went to sit next to her on the bed. "She was in your dreams? What did she say to you?"

Miharu sat up. "Well… she was in quite a few of my dreams, warning me of dangers, and that I should be careful what I do. She also mentioned that I might think I'm taking the wrong path and fearing it. And my last dream, she said I shouldn't fear… the dark."

Jin watched her stand slowly. "Miharu? What is it?"

"Jin! That's it! I finally understand my dreams! She told me I would!" She spun around and took his hands. "It's all about you! I know it now!"

He just looked confused at her, but Miharu wasn't deterred, sitting down in front of him, wondering where to begin.

"Okay, with my first dreams I kept seeing monsters. You called yourself a monster. You see, it's what you see yourself as and what you wanted other people to see you as. And then, there is the dream I had about you when you were so cold. You're afraid of what I'd think of you, so you push me away, being defensive. And your mother, Jun, she was guiding me all along, pointing out things to me without even knowing it. She mentioned dangers, I think it meant your dad and your grandfather. And the wrong path and fearing it… when I first saw you as that demon, maybe for an instant I was afraid of what would happen with you like that. And me not being afraid of the darkness… not to be afraid of you."

He just watched her, slightly baffled what she was going on about, but he could see she was sure with what she was saying.

"And when I saw you with wings in my dream, it was a hint, though your wings were white. That's why I called you an angel. And you are… because you aren't evil. You see, I finally understand. It's always been about you, it just took me a while to understand."

She wrapped her arms around him with a smile on her lips that she never thought she'd ever do again.

"Everything is going to be okay," she said to him. "I promise."

Jin sighed. "Miharu… no."

She froze and slowly released him, looking at his sorrowful face. "No?"

"Just… no. Even if you admit to yourself a thousand times over that you love me, you'll still not be able to live with me as what I am. I can't even do that myself."

"Jin, what are you saying?"

He stood, moving away from her. "We can't be together."

It felt like she had been slapped hard in the face. "What! But, Jin…"

He shook his head, not turning. "It would be wrong for us to be together. To drag you into this mess."

"I'm already in this mess, Jin. Don't you see, with the men from the Zaibatsu!" She got up, taking his arm, but he slipped away from her.

"You have to get out while you can." He looked over his shoulder at her, seeing the tears well in her eyes. "It's the way it has to be. We can't love each other."

Those crystal tears spilled for the second time that night. "You're asking me to stop loving you."

"I'm asking you to move on," he said softly.

"No," she firmly stated, though her voice wavered as she sniffled. "I can't do that. And neither can you."

He was about to say something else, but she quickly cut him off.

"You asked me to wait for you when you came back, and what happened? You didn't! I've given my love for so long even though you haven't been here! All that time ago, you changed my mind to fall in love with you, and you made me the happiness person on the planet. And now, you're asking me to just forget you, after pining for two years! How can you do this to me!"

He stared at her, as she sobbed. He wished he could say something to stop the tears, but he didn't know what he really wanted to do; all he wanted was to keep her safe.

"I love you, Jin," she said. "And you can't stop me loving you. If I have to die to save you from everyone and yourself, then I will. You can't make these feelings go away! I don't care what you think you are, or about the hate in your family. I just want to be with you. Didn't you say yourself that your mother would want you to have peace and love? Then why keep running? You'll be running forever…"

"I don't deserve to live," he said, which seemed to shock her. "Monsters don't deserve to live."

She shook her head, ignoring the dullness in her temples. Her headache had faded off slowly but surely and the pain was very little.

"Everything deserves to live, Jin." She boldly stepped towards him, grabbing his arm. "If you have to run forever, take me with you! I can't live in a world where you're not with me!"

What could he say? She was offering life and death and all her heart to him. He could see she was determined not to let him go. He hated to make her so sad, and after all, it seemed that she could live with what he was. Maybe he could start doing so too? It was time to stop running and find a way to live a life.

He smiled at her, cupping her cheek. "You know how messed up my life has been, with all my running around, trying to escape my family and find a new hope for myself… I'm willing to open up a part of my life, just for you. You have to understand, it will take time to get around to that part of my life where I can be with you. Once I can find a way we can both be safe together, then it will be okay. I just need a little time, you understand. And I promise, this time, I will keep you close. Do you think you can wait for me, just a little bit longer?"

Her heart jumped and she nodded, having to fight the still flowing tears. "Of course I can wait! You won't leave me for too long?"

"Of course not, and I will keep in contact with you. But it will be discreet. I hope you plan on travelling away from Tokyo when you decide to go to college?"

She laughed nervously. "I hope I pass the entrance exams first."

He leaned into her, bringing her into a hug. "I know you can do it. And my grandfather won't bother you if you don't seem to be involved. If he truly thinks you have nothing to do with me, then that will be that. I don't know about my father, I will never figure him out."

"So… you promise, you'll come back to me, and we can be together properly?" She kept him close to her, afraid to let him go.

"I promise you. I will go through hell and high water to be with you," he said. "How could I ever give up someone as brave and stubborn as you?"

Her smile broadened. "I've missed you so much."

"And I have you," he whispered and put a finger under her chin, raising her lips up so he could lean down to give her a tender kiss.

After so long being apart, she didn't have to be afraid that the kiss wasn't real. No more waiting in her dreams. He was finally here.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling herself taken away by the passion of such a touch. Neither wanted to let go, as the fire burned between them, as their kiss became feverish, with the sense that there would be no tomorrow, though they knew, somehow or someway, that they'd be sharing many tomorrows.

She parted from the kiss leaning her head against his chest, smiling. 'My search has finally come to an end.'

* * *

A/N: And that was what you had all been waiting for! Hurray for me. LOL

Right, take note, coming next - Epilogue 1 is intended to lead on to 'Life so Complicated' while Epilogue 2 is intended to lead on to 'Hearts Everlasting'. So, its your choice to pick either to finish the story off with.


	16. Epilogue

Love Worth Fighting For 

By Indigo Siren

Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.

A/N: This leads on to 'Life So Complicated'. If you're leading on to 'Hearts Everlasting', skip this one and go onto Epilogue 2.

Epilogue 1

After her night hiding out in Jin's rented apartment, Miharu had been returned home safely. But for days after, she was worried that after the incident with those men from the Zaibatsu, that something much more serious would happen to her. She prepared for the worst, and made sure her guard was up. She was always with people when she went out and kept to populated areas.

But nothing happened.

After all the worrying, she wasn't once harassed by any of Heihachi's people.

Even though she hadn't been attacked again, she plainly knew she was being watched, well, for a certain time. It was with her very low contact with Jin that had them thinking he was not with her at all. She soon knew that they had stopped watching her, it just suddenly felt easier to walk around without an invisible weight pressing down on her shoulders. All the deluding on her part had had paid off. In her discreet contact with Jin, it was more or less disguising letters, and having her to keep up with ever changing addresses. Any phone call she wanted to make, she'd use a different phone each time in the strangest places. It was all in the name of secrecy. Every time he wrote to her, she was so happy, reading the words that came straight from his heart. They missed each other's company, though at the minute, being apart was for the best. He promised that one day, he'd be close again, and when he was sure that Heihachi's watch would properly drop when she went off to University, he'd be more inclined to meet up with her, not looking back. Miharu would wait on news from him, or any changed plans, but as things were, they seemed set to work the way they hoped.

Things in general were pretty much normalising again, and Miharu found herself no longer bothered by any message orientated dreams. In fact, Jun Kazama never came to her again. She was allowed to sleep in blissful dreams once more, with her dream Jin on guard until the real one could sort things out for them. She knew he had to deal with this own problems too, and even looking for ways for them to be together, he'd also be ever more learning how to control the dark part of him. It was going to be part of his life forever; he was going to have to get used to it.

Life got back on track, with school back fully on the roster. She was becoming more adjusted with her home life as her father and Hanii now had plans to get married. And Miharu, of course, was all for it. It would be nice to have another woman around the house, but the younger Hirano knew that going to university meant abandoning ship to go someplace else.

Xiaoyu had finally moved out of the Mishima mansion, getting a little place of her own. She worked as well, but it was only a small job, which didn't cut too badly into her time. It was enough to keep her going. Miharu liked hanging out at Xiaoyu's, it was like no place on Earth. (And we're talking about bunnies and pink stuff here!)

Tokyo was finally (After a few weeks) cleared of anything to do with the King of Iron Fist Tournament, and things went back to the way they were before. Miharu still wished Jin had gone and taken the Zaibatsu from Heihachi, but he had said no and meant it. So, no papers got signed so the old man kept his company. People were starting to talk though that he was acting weird, maybe even a little more fatigued then usual. Nobody truly knew as he was keeping out of the limelight. He was intent on finding his grandson, and had plans waiting on the backburner.

Kazuya Mishima himself wasn't around much, though it was said he was delving into his work at G-Corps that he had little or no time for the questioning of the little media community below him

Time passed, and soon Miharu was waiting for her final exam results. She'd studied hard, making sure she had been doing the work needed. And now, her eyes were set to looking out for a university. A university that would not be too close to home.

It was at times of worrying about her educational prospects that she thought about her future, which she knew would still be right ahead of her, waiting for what path she decided to walk down, however good or bad. Whichever way, Jin would be waiting for her, going with what she wanted to do, and helping her as much as he was helping himself overcome his own problems. Whatever happened, she'd be happy.

Only time would tell…


	17. Epilogue 2

Love Worth Fighting For 

By Indigo Siren

Disclaimer: Tekken is © to Namco. I am making no money from this fan fiction; it is just for fun. I however own all the characters that are not apart of the Tekken franchise. All rights reserved.

A/N: This update is to include the 2nd alternate ending which leads on to 'Hearts Everlasting', an alternate story that follows with some ideas from Tekken 5. This is INSTEAD of 'Life so Complicated' which follows a different branch altogther with no regard to Tekken 5. See prior Epilogue for the branch off to 'Life so Complicated'.

Epilogue 2

By next sunlight, a news flash stormed Japan with utter shock.

Heihachi Mishima was dead.

It was hardly something that was expected, though, it wasn't as if a lot of people were mourning over the loss.

Miharu pondered over the men that had tried to kidnap her. They had clearly been Heihachi's men, but going by the time they were saying he had died, those men wouldn't have been given orders by him. Or were they prior orders set? Or maybe there was something treacherous going doing between the Zaibatsu and some other company. It was something that left the poor girl reeling.

All she truly knew was she was safe.

Jin kept in close contact with her, though he seemed to come and go at will, being rather cryptic about what he was doing. Miharu, at first was frustrated after all the agonising she had gone through, but she decided to let it be. She didn't want to complain in fear of him disappearing for good. He had his troubles that he needed to deal with without her getting in the way. She just hoped he'd open up to her a little more.

Everything was settling. Life was becoming somewhat normal for Miharu. Jun Kazama no longer invaded her dreams. She'd completed whatever mission she'd been set upon with the hidden messages given to her. She inwardly promised to watch over Jin the best she could.

Xiaoyu finally moved out of the Mishima mansion and brought a place of her very own. She worked as well, a small job juggled between school. She coped since it wasn't too time consuming and paid enough to keep her going. Miharu liked hanging out at Xiaoyu's pad, it was like no place on Earth. It was all things cute and cuddly. And ultra pink!

Life went on - school just as challenging as ever. Miharu took things as they came, and did her best to get through school to the best of her abilities. She couldn't help but feeling guilty over Yamaki - she could tell that he was somewhat still hung up over her, even if he pretended not to care.

Love always seemed to wheedle its way into her life, coming to dominate. That's just how she's grown, even from her uncompassionate stage at sixteen. She had a feeling that there was going to be some big changes for her and the people around her.

Soon, she's be facing new and exciting things. And just as much trouble to follow…


End file.
